WINONA, Minn. – The Macalester College men's basketball team turned in its best performance of the season in a 116-87 victory over Saint Mary's University Saturday afternoon at Saint Mary's Gym. The win ends a 10-game losing streak for the Scots, who are now 2-12 overall and 1-8 in league play. The Cardinals drop to 1-13, 0-9 MIAC.
Macalester took control of the game midway through the first half, turning a two-point lead into a 40-24 advantage with 8:38 on the clock. Junior forward
Wyatt Ferm (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) scored five points in the run, while first year guard
Aidan Toner-Rodgers (Sebastopol, Calif./Analy) hit a three-pointer. The Scots pushed the lead to as many as 23 points before taking a 62-42 advantage at the half. Macalester shot 62.2 percent from the field, including 5-of-12 from three-point range in the first half.
Saint Mary's opened the second half with a 13-6 run to cut the Scots' lead to 68-55 with just under 17 minutes to play. But Macalester tallied the next eight points, including four from Ferm and a three-pointer by sophomore guard
Nathan Davies (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin), to make the score 76-55 with 15:20 left. The Cardinals never came closer than 18 points the rest of the way, as the Scots earned their first MIAC win of the season and first victory overall since Nov. 27.
As a team, Macalester registered season highs for points, field goal percentage (.587), field goals made (44), three-point field goal percentage (.407), blocks (11) and steals (17). The Scots scored 30 points off 24 Saint Mary's turnovers and outscored the Cardinals, 44-26 in the paint.
Ferm registered 27 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks in just 16 minutes. First year forward
Jackson Henningfield (Lake Mary, Fla./Lyman) had his best day as a Scot with 25 points, six rebounds and four blocks. Sophomore forward
Rob Newman (Westchester, N.Y./Tye Country Day) matched his career high with 12 points, while junior forward
Tyler Seaberg (Chattanooga, Tenn./Baylor School) recorded nine points and three blocks. Jakob Bailey led Saint Mary's with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Macalester takes on MIAC leader Saint John's University on Wednesday, Jan. 15, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Collegeville, Minn.
