ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY
2001-02 MEN'S BASKETBALL STORIES

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SAINTS CAP SEASON WITH TOURNAMENT TITLE; BURKHARD NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER

March 2 — St. Lawrence University’s men’s basketball team will have north country bragging rights until next season.

The Saints, who had played Clarkson four times already this year, beat the Golden Knights 71-61 in the championship game of the ECAC Upstate Tournament on Sunday afternoon in Burkman Gymnasium. The Saints went 4-1 against Clarkson this year, with the only loss coming at home in the first Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association game of the season.

The Saints led in the early minutes of the game, but Clarkson built a lead as large as six points halfway through the first half. Levon Kololyan hit a jump shot to give the Golden Knights a 29-24 lead with 1:52 to play.

The Saints responded by hitting a pair of 3-pointers and Nick Laettner made a pair of free throws with 0.2 seconds remaining on the clock to go up 32-31 at halftime.

Clarkson’s John Adamchick hit a jump shot to break a 39-39 tie, but Ahmad Toussaint hit a 3-pointer to give St. Lawrence the lead at 15:01, and the Saints never trailed again, building a lead as large as 11 points.

Greg Sutton led the Saints with 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. Nick Burkhard added 14 points, and Kevin Eberz scored 13 for the Saints, who finish the season 21-9. Kololyan led all scorers with 16 points.

Burkhard was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament. He scored 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting in St. Lawrence’s semifinal win over Nazareth. He was 7-for-14 from behind the 3-point line in the two games this weekend.

TOUSSAINT SCORES 25, SAINTS SET FOR ECAC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH CLARKSON

March 2 — For the fifth time this season, St. Lawrence University will play Clarkson in men's basketball. This time, it will be for the ECAC Upstate championship.

Ahmad Toussaint scored a season-high 25 points and capped the game by dunking a pass Nick Laettner put off the backboard in the final minute of play to lead the Saints to a 99-87 win over Nazareth in semifinals in Burkman Gymnasium on Saturday night.

Toussaint was 9-for-13 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. But Toussaint wasn’t the only Saint who had a good night shooting. St. Lawrence made 58.2% of their shots and was 9-for-17 (.529) from behind the 3-point line. The Saints are now 10-0 when shooting 50% or better from the field.

The teams finished the first half tied 42-42. The Saints scored eight quick points to take a 50-44 lead 1:19 into the second half, but the Golden Flyers recovered, going on a 14-5 run to take a six-point lead.

The Saints came back again, and Kevin Eberz gave the Saints a 68-67 with a 3-point shot with 11:15 to play. St. Lawrence never trailed again, building a lead as large as 12 points.

St. Lawrence’s Nick Burkhard scored 19 points, shooting 5-for-7 from 3-point range, and adding four assists. Rock Battistoni added 13 points for the Saints, who set season highs in points, field goals made (39) and assists (27).

Jimmy Evans led Nazareth with 27 points, while Fran Zablocki added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Golden Flyers. Jacob Steck scored 13 points for Nazareth, which finishes the season with a 17-10 record.

The Saints, now 20-9 on the season, will play Clarkson in the tournament championship at 4 p.m. on Sunday. The Golden Knights beat Oswego 64-60 in the other semifinal. St. Lawrence holds a 3-1 advantage in the season series.

The Saints are 9-1 at home, with the only loss coming against Clarkson on Dec. 4th.

SEVEN IN DOUBLE FIGURES FOR SAINTS, WILL FACE NAZARETH IN QUARTERS

February 27 — All five starters and two bench players scored in double figures as the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team beat St. John Fisher 97-88 in the first round of the ECAC Upstate Tournament.

Dave Hannah led the top seeded Saints with 13 points, shooting 6-for-10 from the field. Greg Sutton recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Ahmad Toussaint also scored 12 points for St. Lawrence.

Nick Burkhard scored 11 points, while Kevin Eberz and Nick Laettner added 11 points apiece off the bench. Rock Battistoni scored 10 points for the Saints, who set a season high for field goal attempts (74), free throw attempts (38) and tied season highs in points, field goals made (32) and fouls (27).

The Saints trailed the No. 8 Cardinals early in the game, but rallied to tie the game 12-12. The teams traded leads in the game several times, and Aaron Berwanger tied the game for St. John Fisher with 6:48 remaining in the half with a pair of free throws.

Hannah responded with a 3-pointer to kick off an 11-2 St. Larwence run to take command of the game. Berwanger got the Cardinals back within three points with two more free throws with 1:37 left in the half, but Laettner hit two 3-pointers to give the Saints a 48-39 halftime lead.

The Saints built their lead as large as 15 points in the second half and the lead was never in serious danger for the remainder of the game.

Berwanger led St. John Fisher with 22 points, shooting 11-for-13 from the free throw line. Matt Morley added 17 points, and Jeff Sidney scored 16 for the Cardinals, who shot better than 53% from the field. Nick Ripple chipped in 12 points for St. John Fisher.

The Cardinals finish the season 13-13, while the Saints improve to 19-9. St. Lawrence has won 10 of its last 11 games.

St. Lawrence will host the remainder of the ECAC Upstate Tournament, with semifinal games on Saturday. Clarkson, the second seed, advanced to the semifinals with a 78-64 win over RIT, and will face No. 3 Oswego. The Saints will face No. 4 seed Nazareth, which beat fifth-seed Plattsburgh 89-81 in tonight’s quarterfinal round.

SAINTS EARN TOP SEED IN ECAC PLAYOFFS

February 25 — The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team came just short of earning an automatic NCAA Tournament bid when they lost 70-63 to Union in the championship game of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association tournament on Saturday.

The team did, however, make a favorable impression by winning nine games in a row before the championship game. The Saints, now 18-9 on the season, are the top seed and will host a first round game with St. John Fisher in the quarterfinals of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Upstate Tournament.

With a win on Wednesday, the Saints will earn the right to host the remainder of the tournament this weekend. The semifinals will be contested at 6:30 and 8:30 on Saturday night, and the championship will be at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

SAINTS FALL SHORT IN UCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

February 23 — Nick Burkhard tied the game with 3:05 to play, but Union responded by scoring the next six points and the Saints never recovered, falling to the Dutchmen 70-63 in the championship game of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament on Saturday afternoon.

The Saints led by as many as eight late in the first half, but Union went on a 11-0 run from that started in the first half and ended with a 3-pointer by Phillip Henry less than a minute into the second half to take a 36-33 lead. The Dutchmen held a slim lead for most of the half, with the Saints taking a brief 49-47 lead on a 3-pointer by Burkhard with 10:23 to play.

While the Saints struggled offensively in the second half, shooting under 40% from the field, Union shot better than 52% from the field, including 5-for-7 from 3-point range in the second half.

C.J. Rogers was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, scoring 15 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. Aaron Galletta made the All-Tournament Team with a 19 points performance. Henry added 12 points and four steals for the Dutchmen, who claim an automatic NCAA tournament bid with the win.

Burkhard was the only Saint in double figures, scoring 19 points. Kevin Eberz added nine points. Greg Sutton, who leads the team in scoring, was held to five points, but grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds.

The Saints took 27 3-point shots, a season high, making ten of them. Burkhard made six of his 17 3-point attempts. The Saints were outrebounded 38-32, just the second time this season that St. Lawrence has grabbed fewer rebounds than their opponent.

St. Lawrence, now 18-9 on the season, await the possibility of a post-season tournament invitation.

SUTTON LEADS SAINTS PAST CLARKSON
TO UCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

February 22 — Greg Sutton scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 61-58 win over Clarkson in the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association tournament semifinals on Friday night at Union College.

The graduate student from Bethel, CT, helped the Saints seal the win with a pair of free throws with 11 seconds to play to give the Saints a 61-56 lead. Sutton, who was 7-for-12 from the field, has six double-doubles on the season.

"That's the fourth time we've played Clarkson this season, and I'll be happy if we don't see them again," said head coach Chris Downs. "Nobody knows us better and nobody knows how to play us better than those guys."

The Saints won three of the four games against Clarkson, but every time the teams faced each other this season the result came down to the last few minutes of the game.

On Friday night, Clarkson took an early second half lead, but the Saints responded with an 8-1 run to take a 38-32 lead with 13:29 remaining. The Golden Knights closed to within one with 2:07 to play, but the Saints held on to the lead for the rest of the game.

Nick Laettner scored 12 points off the bench for the Saints, and Ahmad Toussaint added 11 points.

Ashton Fritz led Clarkson with 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, while Matt Decker added 10 points for the Golden Knights, who finish the season 17-9.

St. Lawrence improves to 18-8 and has won nine games in a row, and will face No. 1 seed Union in the tournament championship at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The Saints are 2-0 against the Dutchmen this season.

SUTTON SHARES UCAA HONORS, SAINTS PREPARE FOR FOURTH MEETING WITH CLARKSON

February 19 — Greg Sutton was named the Co-Forward/Center of the Week by the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association on Monday.

Sutton, a graduate student from Bethel, CT, averaged 16.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in a 3-0 week for the men's basketball team. The Saints finished the regular season on an eight game winning streak and are the No. 2 seed in this weekend's UCAA Tournament hosted by top seeded Union.

The Saints will face north country rival Clarkson for the fourth time this year in the semifinals. The Saints are 2-1 against the Golden Knights this season, including a 72-66 win last Tuesday.

SAINTS BEAT HOBART WITH BALANCED OFFENSE, WILL PLAY CLARKSON AGAIN

February 15 — Three times apparently wasn’t enough, so the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team will face Clarkson again, this time in the semifinals of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament on Friday in Schenectady.

The Saints earned the No. 2 seed in the tournament with a 68-45 win over Hobart on Saturday afternoon in Burkman Gymnasium on senior day.

The Saints had a balanced offense, with six players scoring seven or more points. Greg Sutton led the Saints, shooting 5-for-7 from the field for 11 points. Kevin Eberz added 10 points, shooting 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Nick Burkhard, Ahmad Toussaint and Aaron Marshall each scored eight points for the Saints, who have won eight games in a row.

St. Lawrence jumped out to a 11-1 lead less than three minutes into the game, and when Hobart trimmed the lead to four points, the Saints responded with an 11-0 run to take a 24-11 lead and took a 38-26 lead into halftime.

Joe Corbett was the only Statesman able to do anything against St. Lawrence’s defense in the first half, scoring Hobart’s first 11 points. Davidek Herron was the first Statesman other than Corbett to score a point when he made a pair of free throws with 7:48 to play in the first half. Herron was also the first Hobart player other than Corbett to make a shot, making a layup with 6:06 left on the clock in the first half.

After the Statesmen trimmed the Saints lead to ten points early in the second half, St. Lawrence went on a 12-0 run to take a 58-36 lead and put Hobart away. Eberz started the run with a 3-pointer, and capped it with another with 8:57 to play.

Corbett finished the game with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Herron had 10 points for the Statesmen, who were 12-for-32 (37.5%) from the free throw line.

The Saints improve to 17-8 overall, 10-4 UCAA. The team, which started the conference season 2-4, turned their season around with eight consecutive wins. Hobart falls to 12-13, 7-7.

St. Lawrence will face No. 3 seed Clarkson in the UCAA Tournament semifinals at Union College in Schenectady. Union, which beat Rensselaer 61-58 to hold onto the top seed, faces fourth-seed Hamilton.

The Saints are 2-1 against Clarkson this season, but every game has been close. The Saints beat Clarkson 80-78 in their second game of the season, then lost to the Golden Knights 91-84 after holding a 12-point lead halfway through the second half. On Tuesday, the Saints beat Clarkson again, this time holding off a late comeback attempt. The Saints saw a 16-point lead disapper in the final six minutes of the game, but retook the lead with eight seconds left to salvage the victory.

SUTTON'S 27 POINTS HELP SAINTS SWEEP HAMILTON, CLAIM UCAA TOURNEY SPOT

February 15 — Greg Sutton scored 27 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead St. Lawrence University to a 83-79 win over Hamilton in overtime in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball game in Burkman Gymnasium on Friday night.

The win is the seventh in a row for the Saints, and clinches a UCAA Tournament appearance with one game remaining. The Saints, who swept the season series with the Continentals, are now 9-4 in the conference and move into sole possession of second place. Hamilton falls into a tie for third with Clarkson, who beat Hobart 72-61. Union held onto its one-game lead in the standings with a 74-66 win over Vassar.

Sutton, who ranks 22nd nationally in field goal percentage, was 8-for-13 from the field and 11-for-16 from the free throw line. He made two free throws with one minute to play in overtime to give the Saints a 80-78 advantage. He then went 1-for-2 from the line to give the Saints a 81-79 lead with 26 seconds to play.

Hamilton took a timeout with 21 seconds left and had the last shot, but Joe Finley missed on his shot attempt, and Ahmad Toussaint made two free throws with seven seconds on the clock to ice the win for the Saints.

Hamilton jumped out to a 46-31 halftime lead, with Finley controlling the lane, scoring 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting. While Finley had his way in the paint, Kevin Yanni was unstopable on the perimeter, hitting four of his six 3-point attempts for 14 first half points.

Hamilton’s lead grew to 17 points early in the second half, but the Saints went on a 20-2 run to take a 51-50 lead with 13:24 to play. The lead was the Saints’ first since they held a 6-5 lead about two minutes into the game.

Hamilton regrouped and the teams traded leads before Hamilton built a 59-53 lead on a pair of free throws by Geoff Tomlinson. The Saints retook the one-point lead, scoring the next six points capped by Rock Battistoni’s slam dunk with 8:05 to play.

The teams traded the lead eight times over the next eight minutes. Hamilton’s Joe Smith tied the game 71-71 with 1:08 to play, and neither team could score in the closing seconds.

Nick Burkhard hit a 3-pointer to give St. Lawrencea 74-71 lead on the Saints’ first possession of overtime. The Continentals tied the game three times in overtime, but never gained the lead.

Toussaint scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Battistoni and Nick Laettner each scored 11 points. After the Continentals started the game shooting 15-for-27 (55.6%) in the first half, the Saints shut them down, holding the team to 8-for-34 (23.5%) for the remainder of the game.

Finley finished the game with 26 points on 11-for-13 shooting, while Yanni scored 22 points in the game. Tomlinson scored 11 points on 8-for-8 free throw shooting. Hamilton went 27-for-33 (81.8%) from the free throw line.

St. Lawrence moves to 16-8 overall, 9-4 UCAA, while Hamilton falls to 16-7, 8-5. The Saints will face Hobart on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Statesmen were the last team to beat the Saints.

BURKHARD BEATS CLARKSON WITH LATE GAME HEROICS

February 12 — Nick Burkhard obviously wasn’t thinking about the last time his team faced Clarkson with eight seconds left to play on Tuesday night.

St. Lawrence University’s men’s basketball team held a 12-point lead over the Golden Knights with less than ten minutes to play on their home court on December 4th, but eventually lost the game 91-84.

On Tuesday night, the Saints controlled the first 34 minutes of their third meeting of the year with Clarkson, taking a 61-45 lead with 6:17 to play. But the Golden Knights went on a 21-5 run in the next six minutes, tying the game 66-66 on Levon Kololyan’s jumper with 11 seconds to play.

Burkhard responded by hitting a free throw and stealing the ball on Clarkson’s next possession to seal St. Lawrence’s sixth consecutive victory, as the Saints beat the Golden Knights 72-66.

Burkhard had the chance to put the game out of reach earlier, but struggled from the free throw line, missing three consecutive free throws in the final minute of play before giving the Saints a 67-66 lead with eight seconds remaining. The Saints had been 16-for-16 from the free throw line before Burkhard’s first missed shot with 31 seconds left in the game.

Burkhard finished the game with 11 points, while Rock Battistoni scored 14 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had six assists for the Saints. Dave Hannah scored 13 points and Greg Sutton added 12 for St. Lawrence, who turned the ball over just twice in the second half.

Kololyan led all scorers with 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting for the Golden Knights. Steve Vega, who scored 34 points in the last meeting between the two teams, scored 15.

With the win, the Saints move into a tie for second place with Hamilton in the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Saints remain one game behind league leader Union entering the final weekend of the regular season. The Saints will face Hamilton on Friday, then play Hobart on Saturday.

The Saints improve to 15-8 overall, 8-4 UCAA, and are 2-1 against the Golden Knights this season. Clarkson falls into a tie with Hobart for the fourth and final spot in the UCAA Tournament. St. Lawrence can clinch a spot in the UCAA tournament with a win over Hamilton on Friday night.

SAINTS MOVE INTO TIE FOR THIRD WITH FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN

February 9 — Ahmad Toussaint scored 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting to lead the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 82-66 win over Skidmore on Saturday afternoon in Saratoga.

The win is the fifth in a row for the Saints, and fourth in Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association play. The Saints move into a tie for third in the conference with Clarkson, with both teams posting 7-4 conference records.

The Golden Knights lost to league leader Union, who sits just one game ahead of both teams, on Saturday. Hamilton has a half game hold on second place with an 8-4 record, while Hobart sits just a half game out of the UCAA playoff picture with a 7-5 UCAA record.

Nick Burkhard added 14 points for the Saints, shooting 4-for-4 from behind the 3-point arc. The Saints made over 61% of their 3-point shots and were 54.9% from the field. St. Lawrence now holds a 9-0 record when shooting 50% or better this season.

Dave Hannah added 13 points for the Saints, while Rock Battistoni scored 12 points and grabbed a game high seven rebounds. St. Lawrence outrebounded the Thoroughbreds 43-28.

J.P. Corry led Skidmore with 15 points, while Mark Mortensen added 11 points for the Thoroughbreds.

The Saints improve to 14-8 overall, 7-4 UCAA, while Skidmore falls to 5-17, 0-11. St. Lawrence will wrap up its regular season schedule with a Tuesday game at Clarkson, then hosts Hamilton and Hobart in the final weekend of UCAA play.

SAINTS BEAT UCAA LEADER UNION FOR FOURTH WIN IN A ROW

February 8 — Greg Sutton scored 14 points and Ahmad Toussaint and Nick Burkhard each added 12 to lead the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 74-71 win over Union in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association game in Schenectady on Friday night.

The win moves the Saints into sole possession of fourth place in the conference. The Saints control their own destiny for the UCAA tournament, which will include just four teams in the conference.

St. Lawrence led for all but about two and a half minutes of the second half, leading 70-63 with 4:39 to play after a pair of free throws by Toussaint. But Union scored the next six points, cutting the lead to one point with 2:36 to play on Devon Bruce’s 3-point shot. Burkhard increased the Saint lead back to three points, and Dave Hannah gave the Saints their final cushion with a pair of free throws with one second to play.

Rock Battistoni added 11 points for the Saints, who swept the Dutchmen this season.

C.J. Rogers led all scorers with 19 points on 9-for-14 shooting for Union. He added 11 rebounds for Dutchmen, who were outrebounded 41-32 by St. Lawrence. Aaron Galletta, who leads the conference in scoring, added 13 points, while Phillip Henry scored 11 and Adam Polansky scored 10.

Union dropped into a tie for first with Clarkson with a 7-3 league record. Clarkson defeated the Dutchmen earlier this season, and the teams are scheduled for a rematch on Saturday afternoon.

The Saints sit just one game behind the Golden Knights and the Dutchmen, and are a half game behind Hamilton for third place in the UCAA. Hobart is in fifth place in the conference, just a half game behind the Saints.

The Saints will look to move into a tie with either Clarkson or Union tomorrow as the team faces Skidmore, who has yet to beat a conference opponent, at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The Saints defeated the Thoroughbreds 80-74 in Canton earlier this year.

WEEKEND SWEEP PUTS SAINTS BACK IN UCAA PLAYOFF RACE

February 3 — The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team took a big step towards qualifying for the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association tournament with a 69-55 win over Vassar in Burkman Gymnasium on Sunday afternoon.

Rock Battistoni led the Saints, shooting 7-for-11 from the field to lead all scorers with 17 points. Battistoni also had a game high three blocked shots.

St. Lawrence entered the weekend tied with Vassar for sixth place in the conference with a 3-4 UCAA record. With today’s win, along with a 78-63 win over Rensselaer yesterday, the Saints moved into a tie for fourth with Rensselaer with a 5-4 record.

The conference tournament, which had previously included all eight teams in the UCAA, eliminated the quarterfinal round this year,which means that only four teams will qualify for the tournament. The winner of the tournament earns an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

The Saints held a 25-19 egde at halftime, but only made 33% of their shots. The team found their shooting touch during the break, doubling their accuracy in the second half.

St. Lawrence took a 57-40 lead, their largest of the game, when Battistoni hit a shot with 5:28 to play. Vassar trimmed the lead to single digits with 2:47 to play, but the Saints scored seven unanswered points to put the game out of reach.

Ahmad Toussiant scored 12 points for the Saints, and J.J. DeMarco added 11 on 5-for-5 shooting in 13 minutes off the bench. Kevin Eberz did not score for the Saints, but did contribute five assists, four of which came off in-bounds passes right underneath the Saints basket.

Judson Winton scored 14 points to lead the Brewers, while Steffen Ringelmann added 13. Brian Snodgrass, who scored 20 points in Vassar’s win over the Saints earlier this year, scored 10 points.

The Saints improve to 12-8 overall, 5-4 in the UCAA. Vassar, who lost to Clarkson yesterday, falls to 9-10, 3-6.

St. Lawrence will go on the road to face Union, who is at the top of the UCAA standings, and Skidmore this weekend.

HANNAH'S 3-POINTERS TURN TABLES ON RED HAWKS

February 2 — Dave Hannah scored a season-high 24 points, shooting 6-for-7 from behind the 3-point line, to lead the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 78-63 win over Rensselaer in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball game in Burkman Gymnasium on Saturday night.

The Saints lost at Rensselaer 65-63 two weeks ago when Darryl Gentry hit a layup with just one second remaining in the game.

Three of Hannah’s 3-pointers helped the Saints turn a 11-3 deficit in to a nine-point lead as the Saints went on a 23-6 run during an eight minute stretch during the first half. The Saints held a 40-28 lead at halftime and the Red Hawks never got back within single digits.

The Saints shot 50.9% from the field as a team, improving their record to 8-0 when shooting 50% or better. Defensively, the Saints allowed a season-low 50 field goal attempts.

Rock Battistoni added 17 points for the Saints, while Ahmad Toussaint scored 13 points, shooting 5-for-6 from the free throw line. Nick Laettner had a great all-around game, scoring six points, grabbing five rebounds and contributing five assists.

Dean Pierce led the Red Hawks with 16 points, with 13 coming in the first half. Parris Moore added 11 points for Rensselaer, who falls to 9-8 overall, 5-3 UCAA.

The Saints improve to 11-8, 4-4, and will face Vassar on Sunday at 4 p.m.

TOUSSAINT HUGE NIGHT IN HUGE GAME FOR MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

January 26 — Ahmad Toussaint scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the men’s basketball team to a 90-86 win over Hamilton in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association game in Clinton, NY, on Saturday afternoon.

Toussaint, who is averaging less than eight points a game, recorded season highs in both categories.

Neither team built a substantial lead in the game, which feature 14 lead changes and seven ties.

Nick Burkhard scored nine points in a 90 seconds, giving the Saints a six-point lead with 2:00 to play, then helping to hold the lead at five points with another jump shot, then four consecutive free throws.

Hamilton pulled back within two points when Toby Bjorkman with a 3-pointer with 19 seconds to play. Greg Leone hit a free throw to make the score 87-86, but the Saints were 3-for-4 from the free throw line to ice the win.

Greg Sutton scored 18 points, shooting 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Dave Hannah added 14 points, and Burkhard scored 12.

Joe Finley led all scorers with 24 points for the Continentals, while Leone scored 23. Joe Smith scored 14 points for Hamilton.

The Saints improve to 10-8 overall, 3-4 UCAA, while Hamilton falls to 12-5, 4-3. St. Lawrence will return home to face Rensselaer and Vassar in conference games next weekend.

HOBART MOUNTS COMEBACK AS SAINTS DROP THIRD STRAIGHT UCAA GAME

January 25 — The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team saw another team come from behind as Hobart, who trailed the Saints for all but about five minutes of the second half, was leading when it mattered most, beating the Saints 57-55 in Geneva on Friday night.

St. Lawrence trailed 33-28 after Davidek Herron made a shot early in the second half, but the Saints responded with a 14-0 run to take a 42-33 lead with 14:01 to play. Rock Battistoni led the Saints during the run, scoring six of his 14 points during the five-minutes span.

The Saints saw their lead trimmed to one point with a little less than five minutes left to play, but held a 55-50 lead with just 2:31 remaining. Tim Lomot hit a 3-pointer to get the Statesmen within two points, and Herron tied the game with 1:30 left. Joe Corbett and Herron put Hobart ahead with free throws as the Saints closed out the last two and a half minutes shooting 0-for 6, and Andy Marcus had a layup attempt blocked by Corbett with just ten seconds left on the clock.

Nick Burkhard scored 11 points for the Saints, and Dave Hannah grabbed 11 rebounds as the Saints held a 48-38 advantage on the boards.

Herron and Corbett each scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Hobart.

The win pushes Hobart ahead of the Saints in the UCAA standings. The Statesmen improve to 8-9 overall, 3-3 UCAA, while the Saints fall to 9-8, 2-4.

St. Lawrence continues its conference schedule with a game against Hamilton at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

SECOND HALF RUN PUTS POTSDAM AWAY

January 22 — After seeing their lead shrink from as many as 15 points down to two with 8:29 to play, the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team went on a 13-2 run to put any of Potsdam State’s hopes of a comeback to rest, snapping a three-game losing streak with a 78-69 win over the Bears in Burkman Gymnasium on Tuesday night.

St. Lawrence jumped out to a quick 20-5 lead in the first 7:14 with six players contributing to the scoring. Potsdam slowly chipped away at the lead, trailing by eight at halftime and climbing back to within two points twice.

Kevin Eberz responded by hitting a 3-pointer, and after a Potsdam turnover, Ahmad Toussaint drove the lane for a lay-up to give the Saints a seven-point lead. Dave Hannah scored the next seven points for St. Lawrence to give the Saints a 69-56 lead with 4:50 to play.

Hannah finished with 15 points and was 7-for-7 from the free throw line. It was the first time Hannah has led the Saints in scoring since a loss to Clarkson on December 4th.

Rock Battistoni added 14 points, shooting 7-for-12 from the field. Nick Burkhard scored 11 points, shooting 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Greg Sutton added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Kevin Eberz scored nine points and led the team with five assists.

The Saints shot 50.8% from the field, and are now 7-0 in games in which they shoot 50% or better.

Andre Peterson led the Bears with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Jon Guida added 13 points for Potsdam, which falls to 7-8.

The Saints, now 9-7 on the season, travel south this weekend to face Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association foes Hamilton and Hobart.

LAST SECOND SHOT SINKS SAINTS

January 19 — The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team’s emotions went from excited to disappointed in Saturday afternoon’s game against Rensselaer.

The Saints trailed by three points with under 15 seconds remaining in the game when Nick Burkhard hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 10 seconds to play before Darryl Gentry converted on a layup with one second left on the clock to lead the Red Hawks over the Saints 65-63.

The loss is the third in a row for the Saints, who were ranked fourth in the East Region early in the week.

The Saints had taken their first lead early in the second half, but had been playing catch up for the last nine minutes of the game, as the Red Hawks built a seven-point lead with less than six minutes remaining. The Saints tied the game with a 3-pointer by Kevin Eberz, a layup by Eberz and a dunk by Ahmad Toussaint with 2:52 to play.

Greg Sutton led the Saints in scoring for the third straight game, scoring 17 points, grabbing nine rebounds and blocking three shots. Sutton, who was ranked ninth nationally in field goal percentage earlier in the week, was 8-for-14 shooting. Sutton was 17-for-24 on the weekend to improve his shooting percentage to .649 on the season. Rock Battistoni scored 16 points on 8-for-13 shooting.

Jared Hite led Rensselaer with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Paris Moore scored 10 points. Eleven different players scored at least one point for the Red Hawks, who improve to 8-6 overall, 3-1 UCAA.

The Saints, who fall to 8-7, 2-3, will face Potsdam at home on Saturday before closing the regular season with nine consecutive conference games.

SUTTON NOT ENOUGH AS SAINTS FALL TO UCAA FOE VASSAR

January 18 — Greg Sutton scored 29 points on near perfect shooting, but it wasn’t enough to get the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team a win as the Saints fell to Vassar 76-69 in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association game in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Friday night.

Sutton, who was ranked ninth nationally in field goal percentage earlier this week, was 9-for-10 from the field and 11-for-14 from the free throw line. The graduate student from Bethel, CT, added 14 rebounds.

The Saints led for most of the first half, inflating their lead to as many as nine points with 3:43 left before halftime. The Brewers, however, closed the half with a 12-2 run to lead 38-37.

St. Lawrence recovered, however, outscoring Vassar 15-5 in the first 5:47 of the second half to build another nine-point cushion. The Brewers came back again, taking a 62-60 lead with less than eight minutes to play for their first lead in almost ten minutes. Though the Brewers pulled away from the Saints, Dave Hannah got the Saints back within a point of the lead when he hit a free throw with 2:34 to play, but Vassar outscored the Saints 8-1 in the remainder of the game to hold onto the victory.

Hannah and Nick Burkhard each scored 12 points for the Saints, who fall to 8-6 overall, 2-2 UCAA. Burkhard was 4-for-5 from 3-point range.

Brian Snodgrass led the Brewers, shooting 5-for-8 from behind the 3-point arc, totalling 20 points. Steffen Ringlemann added 14 points, while Judson Winton scored 12 points and Matt Williams 10 for Vassar, now 8-5, 2-2. The Brewers handled the ball well, turning it over just nine times, while recording 14 steals.

The Saints face Rensselaer in another UCAA game on Saturday at 4 p.m.

BURKHARD'S MARK BITTERSWEET AS SAINTS FALL TO PLATTSBURGH

January 15 — Nick Burkhard needed just nine points to reach 1,000 for his career, and he almost didn’t get reach it in Tuesday’s non-league game against Plattsburgh.

The senior guard made two free throws with 32 seconds remaining for his 999th and 1,000th points, but the achievement was not as satisfying as the senior guard from Beaver Falls, NY, might have hoped as the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball lost to the Cardinals 87-74.

Greg Sutton led the Saints with 25 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the floor, 11-for-15 shooting from the free throw line. Sutton is currently ninth nationally in field goal percentage, converting on 63.6% of his shots. Sutton also had eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks for the Saints.

Rock Battistoni was the only other Saint in double figures, scoring 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds. Battistoni is ranked 11th nationally with a field goal percentage of 62.6%

The Saints had their lowest shooting percentage of the season, making just 40.4% of their shots. The Saints were ranked eighth in team field goal percentage nationally at the beginning of the week, converting on 51.1% of their shots.

The Saints led by as many as 12 points in the first half and had a 10 point lead with 7:47 remaining before halftime when the Cardinals went on a 23-7 run to close the half with a 41-35 lead. Kevin Eberz got the Saints within three points of the Plattsburgh lead when he hit a 3-pointer with 14:50 to play, but Plattsburgh reeled off a 15-2 run for a 65-49 lead. The Saints never got back within 10 points of the Cardinals.

Jordan Ostrander and Sean Gorman scored 18 points apiece to lead Plattsburgh, while Chris Jura and Andy Ferris each chipped in 11 points for the Cardinals, who improve to 8-5.

The Saints, who fall to 8-5 on the season, resume conference play with road games against Vassar and Rensselaer this weekend.

 

UCAA HONORS BURKHARD AS HE NEARS 1,000 CAREER POINTS

January 15 — St. Lawrence University senior Nick Burkhard was named the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Guard of the Week on Monday.

Burkhard, a native of Beaver Falls, NY, scored 15 points and had three steals off the bench in a 80-74 win over Skidmore on Friday. On Saturday, in his second start of the season, Burkhard had his best game of the season, shooting 11-for-16, including 5-for-8 from 3-point range, for 28 points, along with four assists.

With the weekend total of 43 points, Burkhard has a career total of 991 career points and will look to eclipse the 1,000 point mark tonight as the Saints travel to Plattsburgh for a non-league game against the Cardinals.

BURKHARD SCORES 28, SAINTS BEAT UNION FOR WEEKEND SWEEP

January 12 — Nick Burkhard scored a season high 28 points to lead the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 83-68 win over Union in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association game on Saturday afternoon in Burkman Gymnasium.

Burkhard, whose previous season high was 15 points, shot 11-for-16 from the field and was 5-for-8 from behind the 3-point arc, including one from five feet behind the line as the shot clock expired.

Burkhard had just seven points at the end of the first half, but scored 13 points in the first five and a half minutes of the second half, helping to turn a four point halftime lead into a 57-45 lead with 14:28 remaining in the game. The Dutchmen got no closer than nine points for the remainder of the game, and Burkhard gave the Saints a 12-point advantage with his final three of the game with 4:37 to play.

St. Lawrence’s Greg Sutton had his eighth consecutive game with at least 10 points, scoring 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting. Sutton also had seven rebounds for the Saints, who were outrebounded (30-32) for the first time this season. Rock Battistoni added 10 points, seven assists and two blocks for St. Lawrence.

Aaron Galletta, who led the nation in scoring at the beginning of the week, scored a game high 29 points for Union, which, despite shooting over 51% from the field in the second half, couldn’t keep pace with the Saints, who made 64% of their shots after halftime. C.J. Rogers added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Union.

The Saints improve to 8-4 overall, 2-1 UCAA, with Union falling to 8-5, 1-2. St. Lawrence will visit Plattsburgh for a non-league game on Tuesday, then continues with a pair of conference games on the road against Vassar and Rensselaer next weekend.

BALLANCED ATTACK LEADS SAINTS OVER SKIDMORE AS UCAA SCHEDULE BEGINS

January 11 — Greg Sutton and Nick Burkhard scored 15 points each to lead the men’s basketball team to an 80-74 win over Skidmore in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association contest in Burkman Gymnasium on Friday night.

Sutton, who is making over 62% of his field goal attempts, went 5-for-5 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line, while Burkhard was 5-for-9 with two 3-pointers and perfect on all three free throw attempts.

Rock Battistoni also had a strong game for the Saints, scoring 13 points and grabbing seven rebounds, while Kevin Eberz tied a season high with 11 points and found open shooters all night, totaling a season high eight assists.

Dana Martin led Skidmore with 18 points, with J.P. Corry adding 17 points on 5-for-10 shooting from 3-point range. Mark Mortensen scored 15 points for Skidmore.

The Saints held a 36-21 advantage with a little more than two minutes to play in the first half, but the Thoroughbreds went on a 17-0 run which extended into the second half, capped by Corry’s 3-pointer as Skidmore took its first lead at 38-36 with 18:10 to play.

Sutton responded with a layup, and Eberz hit a 3-point shot 16 seconds later and the Saints held the advantage for the remainder of the game.

St. Lawrence improves to 7-4 overall, 1-1 UCAA, while Skidmore falls to 5-7, 0-2. The Saints face Union at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

 

SUTTON EARNS UCAA HONORS, SAINTS BEGIN CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

January 7 — Even though he was three years removed from the basketball court when the season began, it hasn’t taken long for Greg Sutton to regain his form for the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team.

Sutton, a graduate student from Bethel, CT, was named the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Forward/Center of the Week on Monday. Sutton had a pair of double-doubles in the Saints’ last two games at the University of Scranton.

He scored 22 points in each game of the John J. Kelly Classic, making 82% of his shots (18-for-22) and totaling 23 rebounds as the Saints split their games, defeating Hunter College 97-66, but falling to the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford 60-57 in the championship game. Sutton and sophomore forward Rock Battistoni were selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Sutton is averaging 14.6 points per game and leads the team in rebounds with 8.2 per contest. He has made 60% of his shots and leads the team with 15 blocked shots this season.

The Saints, now 6-4 on the season, shift gears as the UCAA schedule begins in full swing this weekend. The Saints will host Skidmore at 8 p.m. on Friday, and Union will visit Burkman Gymnasium at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

SUTTON, BATTISTONI STRONG INSIDE, BUT SAINTS FALL IN TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

January 6 — Greg Sutton had his second consecutive double-double, and Rock Battistoni added his second of the season, but it wasn’t enough as St. Lawrence University’s men’s basketball team lost 60-57 to the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford in the championship game of the John J. Kelly Classic hosted by the University of Scranton on Sunday afternoon.

Sutton, a senior forward, scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Battistoni, a sophomore forward, added 19 points and 13 rebounds. The duo shot 19-for-27 combined from the field, a .704 shooting percentage.

The Saints had a 30-26 lead at halftime, but the Panthers opened the second half with a 16-7 run to lead by five points with 13:51 remaining. The Saints battled back to tie the game three times, including a 54-54 tie with 2:00 left to play.

With the Saints trailing by four, Sutton made a layup with nine seconds left to bring the Saints within two points. After the Panthers hit one free throw to pull ahead by three with three seconds to play, Nick Burkhard’s last second 3-point attempt missed its mark.

Sutton and Battistoni were both named to the All-Tournament Team for the Saints, who fall to 6-4 on the season. Matt Beacom, who scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Panthers, was selected as the Tournament MVP.

The Saints now turn their focus to their conference schedule. Both the men's and the women's teams will host Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association member schools Skidmore and Union this weekend. Skidmore will visit Burkman Gymnasium on Friday, with the women's game scheduled to start a 6 p.m., with the men playing a 8 p.m. Union's women's team will tip-off with the Saints at 2 p.m. on Saturday, while the men will play at 4 p.m.

SIX SCORE IN DOUBLE FIGURES IN DOMINATING PERFORMANCE

January 5 — Six different players scored 11 or more points as the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team turned a nine point halftime lead into a 97-66 pounding of Hunter College in the first round of the John J. Kelly Classic held at Scranton.

Senior forward Greg Sutton led the Saints, shooting 8-for-8 from the floor and 6-for-8 from the line for 22 points. Sutton added 13 rebounds as the Saints outrebounded the Hawks 53-30. Senior guard Nick Burkhard added 14 points, while Rock Battistoni, Dave Hannah, Jack Rowbottom, and Kevin Eberz all scored 11 points for the Saints. Ahmad Toussaint handled the ball well, leading the team with 10 assists.

The Saints had season highs in six offensive categories, including their 97 points, 31 point margin of victory, 32 field goals, 12 3-point shots made, 23 3-point attempts, 52.2% 3-point shooting, but also tied a season high with 26 turnovers. Defensively, the Saints allowed a season low with just 21 field goals allowed.

The Hawks stayed within about ten points of the Saints in the early portion of the second half, but St. Lawrence went on a 16-0 run to take a 65-40 lead with 10:18 to play to put the game out of reach. Darryl Monroe led Hunter with 13 points. The Hawks fall to 4-5 on the season.

The Saints, who improve to 6-3 with the win, will face Pitt-Bradford in the tournament championship at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Panthers beat Scranton 83-81 in the other second first round game.

SAINTS REBOUND FROM TOUGH LOSS TO WIN CONSOLATION GAME IN VIRGINIA

December 30 — Rock Battistoni scored 20 points to lead the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 75-73 win over LaGrange in the consolation game of the Hampden-Sydney Holiday Hoops Classic on Sunday afternoon. Battistoni was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Senior forward Greg Sutton, who scored a season-high 23 points on Saturday, scored 13 and grabbed eight rebounds in a back and forth game. Freshman Aaron Marshall added a career high 12 points on 6-for-6 shooting, and also handled the ball well, finishing with three assists and no turnovers. Dave Hannah added 11 points for the Saints.

The Saints, who lost to John Carroll in the opening round, trailed eight points early in the second half before going on a 25-6 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Battistoni to give the Saints a 59-48 lead with 11:19 remaining. Battistoni, a sophomore forward, scored nine points during the run.

The Panthers came back, however, led by Jeffrey Pourchier, who scored 20 points, and Colt McDowell, who scored 13. McDowell made two key 3-point shots in the final two minutes which cut the St. Lawrence lead down to two points with 49 seconds to play, but Greg Sutton made a shot with 14 seconds left that put the game out of reach.

Battistoni went 7-for-11 from the field and has made 66.7% of his shots this season. The Saints are now 3-0 when Battistoni scores 20 or more points.

The Saints converted on 58.8% of their shots from the field while holding the Panthers to 41.5% from the field. St. Lawrence outrebounded LaGrange 39-30.

LaGrange falls to 4-6 on the season. St. Lawrence improves to 5-3. The Saints will travel to Pennsylvania for the Scranton Tournament on January 5th and 6th.

WIN NUMBER FIVE SLIPS THROUGH SAINTS FINGERS AS JOHN CARROLL COMES BACK FROM 26 DOWN

December 29 — After a nearly perfect first half, the St. Lawrence University men's basketball team struggled in the second half as John Carroll rallied from a 26-point deficit to beat the Saints 91-88 in the first round of the Hampden-Sydney Holiday Hoops Classic on Saturday.

The Saints shot 20-for-33 from the field in the first half, including 5-for-11 from 3-point range, and converted on 11-of-12 free throw attempts to take a 56-37 lead at halftime. The Saints started the game on an 11-0 run in the first 2:11 of the game and led 54-28 at one point in the first half.

John Carroll chipped away at the lead in the second half, finally taking the lead for the first time in the game on a layup by Jason Pecjak with 2:17 to play. Kevin Eberz responded with a pair of free throws to give the Saints an 87-86 lead, but the Blue Streak scored the next four points to gain a three-point lead that the Saints couldn't overcome.

Greg Sutton led the Saints with 23 points, including an 11-for-13 performance from the free throw line. Sutton also grabbed a team high nine rebounds. Rock Battistoni added 16 points, shooting 6-for-6 from the field. Eberz scored a season-high 11 points.

The Saints had 15 assists compared to just six turnovers in the first half an A/TO ratio of 2.5:1. Ahmad Toussaint contributed eight assists in just nine minutes in the first half. He finished the game with nine points and nine assists. Defensively, the Saints held John Carroll to just 37.5% shooting and allowed just six free throws in the first half.

Roles were reversed in a foul-ridden second half, as the teams combined for 49 free throws. John Carroll shot 65.4% from the field, while the Saints struggled, making just 25.9% of their shots. Michael Hill scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Blue Streak, who improve to 4-6 on the season. Chris Jaklich added 20 points for John Carroll, which faces Hampden-Sydney in Sunday's championship game.

The Saints, now 4-3 on the season, face LaGrange in the consolation game at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

December 8 — After trailing briefly in the second half, the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team outscored Alfred 50-33 in the second half to beat the Saxons 83-64 on the road on Saturday afternoon.

Rock Battistoni led the Saints, scoring 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field and going 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Greg Sutton added 14 points, and both players grabbed six rebounds for the Saints. Ahmad Toussaint followed up a perfect night shooting on Friday with seven assists, his highest total of the season.

St. Lawrence led just 33-31 after the first half, despite the Saints shooting 50.0% from the field, while the Saxons made just 28.6% of their shots. The Saints came back with an impressive shooting performance in the second half, converting on 65.5% of their second half shots.

E.J. Docteur led the Saxons with 18 points, while Devon Downing added 15 points for Alfred, which falls to 4-2 on the season.

The Saints improve their record to 4-2, and will not play again until Dec. 29th in the Hampden-Sydney Tournament.

December 7 — Ahmad Toussaint scored 17 points on 5-for-5 shooting from the field, including one 3-pointer, and 6-for-6 shooting from the free throw line to lead the St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 72-69 win over Ithaca in a non-league game on Friday night.

Four players scored in double figures for the Saints, who led by as many as 16 points in the first half before Ithaca came back to make it a close game in the second half.

Nick Burkhard added 13 points for the Saints, while Greg Sutton scored 12 points and tied a season high with 10 rebounds. Rock Batistoni scored 11 points for the Saints, who made 53.8% of their first half shots.

Matthew Riggins led the Bombers with 19 points, and Tyler Schulz added 14 points and eight rebounds.

St. Lawrence improves to 3-2 on the season, while the Bombers fall to 2-4. The Saints continue their road trip with a 3 p.m. game at Alfred on Saturday.

December 4 — Steve Vega scored 34 points to lead Clarkson’s men’s basketball team to a 91-84 come-from-behind win over St. Lawrence University in Burkman Gymnasium in the first Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association game of the season for both teams on Tuesday night.

The Saints, who led for the entire first half and by as many 12 points with less than ten minutes to play in the game, saw the lead disappear as Clarkson went on an 18-2 run to take a 72-68 lead with 4:50 remaining in the game.

Saint guard Kevin Eberz answered with a 3-pointer, and Greg Sutton tied the score with a free throw with 3:43 to play, but Vega made two 3-point shots and converted on two free throws, and Ashton Fritz added two more free throws to give the Golden Knights an 82-72 lead with 2:01 remaining.

The Saints pulled back within four points with a minute to play, but Clarkson held on, converting on 5-of-8 free throws in the final minute.

Vega was 7-for-14 from the field, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range. The senior guard was 15-for-17 from the free throw line. Fritz added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Golden Knights, and Levon Kololyan added 16 points and seven rebounds.

Nick Burkhard led the Saints, converting on 6-of-9 shots from the field for 14 points. The senior guard added four assists and three steals. Dave Hannah also scored 14 points for St. Lawrence, while Nick Laettner added 13 points.

The Saints controlled the first half of play, leading by at least three points for all but the first two minutes of the game. At halftime, St. Lawrence led 47-41 after shooting 59.4% from the field.

Clarkson had 19 more free throw attempts than the Saints, making 34-of-42 foul shots. The Saints made 14-of-23 free throw attempts. The Saints outrebounded the Golden Knights 39-33.

Clarkson improves to 5-2 overall, 1-0 in the UCAA, while the Saints fall to 2-2, 0-1. St. Lawrence travels to Ithaca and Alfred for a pair of non-league games this weekend.

December 1 — The St. Lawrence University men's basketball team had four players score in double figures and had a 35-27 halftime lead, but Christopher Newport University shot 56.3% from the field in the second half to beat the Saints 83-70 on Saturday night. The Captains, now 5-0 on the season, are the second ranked team in the nation by D3Hoops.com.

The Captians took their first second half lead with 12:30 left and took a 17 point lead with four minutes to play before the Saints went on a 14-3 run capped by a steal and layup by Greg Sutton to get within six. Albert Haskins then put CNU up by nine points with a 3-pointer with 51 seconds to play.

Nick Burkhard led the Saints with 15 points, and Ahmad Toussaint scored 14 points. Sutton scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Rock Battistoni scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds. The Saints outrebounded the Captains 47-37, but had 24 turnovers to CNU's 16.

CNU put five in double figures, led by Jermaine Woods with 20 points. Albert Haskins scored 17 and added six assists and four steals.

The Saints fall to 2-1 on the season and will play Clarkson in their home opener on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Burkman Gymnasium.

November 17 — Junior guard Dave Hannah earned Most Valuable Player honors and iced a Saint win in the championship game of the North Country Coaches vs. Cancer tournament at Oswego Saturday night as the Saints took home the title for the second straight year with a 80-78 win over Clarkson.

The Saints, now 2-0, battled from behind to earn the title, trailing 41-37 at the half. The Saints cashed in on opportunities at the foul line, hitting 19 of 22 for the game and 12 of 14 in the second half. Ahmad Toussaint hit four in the final 30 seconds and Hannah's free throw with five seconds left iced the win.

Hannah finished with 16 points to support a 25 point performance by Rock Battistoni, who joined Hannah on the all tournament team. Hannah was seven for 12 from the field in the win and had four assists. Battistoni hit 10 of 15 from the field, had 11 rebounds and was five of six from the foul line while Greg Sutton added 11 points, ten rebounds and was five for five at the stripe.

Nick Laettner chipped in eight points, eight assists and two blocked shots for the Saints. Steve Vega led all scorers in the game for Clarkson with 32 points including six of ten from three point range.

HANNAH PACES SAINTS TO WIN OVER OSWEGO IN TOURNAMENT OPENER

November 16 — Junior guard Dave Hannah scored 19 points, hitting seven of 11 from the field, and had two assists and four steals to pace the Saint men's basketball team to a season opening 83-77 win over Oswego in a semifinal game of the North Country Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament at Oswego Friday night.

The Saints will meet neighboring rival Clarkson in the championship game Saturday night at 8 p.m. Clarkson won the opening game of the tournament 81-80 over Potsdam.

The Saints led 42-40 at the half in what was a tight opening game throughout, and won the game at the foul line, hitting 20 of 35 while Oswego was five for eight. The Lakers relied on the three point shot to stay in it and were eight for 22 from beyond the arch.

Nick Laettner added 14 points and ten rebounds while Ahmad Toussaint hit three of four from the field, five of seven at the line and had six assists and two steals to go with 11 points. Greg Sutton made his return to collegiate action with 11 points on four of five shooting, and two blocked shots in 15 minutes of playing time. Rock Battistoni chipped in with 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks and Nick Burkhard dealt out four assists.