ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College men's basketball team lost a MIAC game at home to visiting Saint John's University, 76-59 Saturday afternoon in the Leonard Center. The Scots are now 9-10 overall and 5-9 in the league, while the Johnnies (15-4) remain atop the MIAC standings with a 13-1 mark in conference play.

Three-pointers by junior guards Coby Gold (Denver, Colo./Kent Denver) and Caleb Williams (Wild Rose, Wis./Wild Rose) helped Macalester jump out to a 10-4 lead early in the first half. The lead was six, 12-6, when Saint John's put together an 11-4 run for a 17-16 advantage. The lead grew to as many as five, 30-25 before a basket by Gold and a three from sophomore forward Ryan Brush (Bellevue, Wash./Bellevue) tied the score at 30-30 with 3:21 left in the half. After the seventh tie in the half made the score 36-36, Luke Budzyn's basket just before the buzzer made the halftime score 38-36 Saint John's. The Johnnies shot 55.6 percent from the field in the first half compared to 41.2 percent for Macalester.

Over the first seven minutes of the half, Saint John's extended its lead to five, 50-45. A free throw by junior forward Armando Akapo-Nwagbo (Owerri, Nigeria/Pomona) and a basket from Williams made it a two-point game, 50-48 with 11 minutes remaining. At that point the Johnnies took control of the game, tallying 15 straight points while holding the Scots to 0-of-5 shooting from the field to take a commanding 63-48 advantage with 7:10 on the clock. Macalester never came closer than 13 points the rest of the way, as Saint John's completed the season sweep of the Scots.

Macalester shot just 32.1 percent from the floor in the second half and were outscored 36-20 in the paint for the game. Williams registered 20 points, five rebounds and four assists to lead the Scots. Gold finished with 19 points, five boards and three assists. Akapo-Nwagbo grabbed a team-best eight rebounds and blocked two shots to go with five points. Blake Berg led Saint John's with 20 points.

Macalester hosts Bethel in another MIAC game on Wednesday, Jan. 31. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the Leonard Center.