SAINT PAUL, Minn. - In a game that featured 12 ties and nine lead changes, the Gustavus men's basketball team came out on top, 64-61, at Macalester on Wednesday evening. The Gusties improve to 10-3 overall and remain unbeaten in the MIAC at 4-0. 

The first half alone featured nine lead changes with the score never going outside of a four-point lead for either team. Macalester held its largest lead of four points on three occasions at 7-3, 31-27, and 35-31. The Gusties held their largest lead of four points at 23-19 after going on an 8-2 run midway through the half. During that run, Evan Wieker made a pair of layups on consecutive possessions, Myles Barnette also made a layup, and Wyatt Olson hit a jumper at the 6:57 mark for the 23-19 advantage. 

The Scots took back the lead at the 4:03 mark and finished the half on a 10-6 run for a 35-33 lead at halftime. Macalester shot an efficient 58.3 percent from the floor in the first half. 

After trading buckets early in the second half, the Gusties eventually took a 45-44 lead at the 12:35 mark after a Jake Schmitt free throw. The Scots tied the score at 46-46, but Gustavus regained the advantage for good on the next possession. Carson Koch hit a jump shot at the 10:21 mark that sparked an 11-2 run, giving the Gusties their largest lead of the game at 57-48. Macalester worked its way back to a two-point difference twice in the final 1:27, but the Gusties held on for the win. 

Gustavus shot 43.6 percent from the floor, led by Olson with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Olson also had six rebounds and four assists. Wieker added 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Brady Kienitz and Barnette contributed 11 points each. 

"I really want to credit our guys' perseverance and determination to earn a victory when we didn't have our best offensively," said Head Coach Justin DeGrood. "I was really pleased with how the men kept finding ways on both ends in a game that kept going back and forth. Jump shots were tough to buy but our guys responded with really sound ball security and cranked up the defensive pressure in the second half. When you're in a game that's constantly at a couple possessions either way it's critical to stay in the moment and do your job in each moment of each possession. Playing poised, together and with competitive joy was essential down the stretch. I credit the boys for doing that and earning a couple stops and scores in the last couple minutes of play."

Gustavus continues MIAC play by hosting St. Scholastica on Saturday afternoon. 
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