ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester men's basketball team lost a close battle with MIAC foe St. Olaf College, 71-64 Wednesday evening  in the Leonard Center.  The loss is the fourth in a row for the Scots, who are now 3-10 overall and 1-7 in the conference. The Oles (9-5 overall) remain in second place in the MIAC with a 7-2 league record.

Macalester started slowly, as St. Olaf opened the game with a 21-6 run over the first 7:36. The margin was 15, 35-20 with 3:25 left in the half when the Scots used an 11-1 spree to cut the deficit to 36-31 at the break. Sophomore guard Gunnar Goeden (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North) hit back-to-back layups to start the run, while first year forward Wyatt Ferm (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) scored five points, including a three-pointer, to get Macalester back in the game.

In the second half, the Oles stayed in control, pushing their lead to as many eight, 47-39 with 14 minutes remaining. Five points from first year guard Michael Gutierrez (Stillwater, Minn./St. Croix Prep Academy), a conventional three-point play by junior center Kareem Ismail (Pasadena, Calif./Flintridge Prep) and a three from Ferm brought the Scots to within one, 51-50 midway through the second half. But St. Olaf responded with an 11-2 run to take a 62-52 edge with six minutes on the clock.

Despite the shift in momentum, the Scots continued to battle and managed to reduce St. Olaf's lead once again to four, 65-61 with 1:29 remaining. Following an Ole turnover, junior guard Jordan Black-Matthews (Dallas, Tex./Covenant Christian) was fouled and made his first free throw. The second bounced off the rim, with Ferm grabbing the rebound and finding Gutierrez outside the arc for a three-point attempt that could tie the game. The shot was off the mark, and Riley Aeikens hit a jumper at the other end for an insurmountable 67-62 lead with 34 seconds left.

St. Olaf shot 50.0 percent from the field for the game compared to 44.2 percent for Macalester. The Oles also went to the line 31 times, making 27, while the Scots were 13-of-17 from the charity stripe. Ismail led Macalester with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Ferm finished with 15 points. Black-Matthews contributed 11 points, and Gutierrez registered nine points, five boards, four assists and four steals. Justin Pahl paced the Oles with 19 points.

Macalester hosts Concordia College in another MIAC contest on Saturday, Jan. 16. Game time is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in the Leonard Center.