SAINT PETER, Minn. - The No. 7 nationally ranked Gustavus Adolphus College men's basketball team battled in a hard fought match against the Carleton College Knights in a MIAC home game on Wednesday night, coming up just short 74-70. The loss ends a 19-game winning streak for the Gusties, who remain atop the MIAC standings at 13-1 in conference play and 21-2 overall.
The first 10 minutes of the game stayed very close with both teams trading buckets back and forth.
Connor Beauchamp led the Gusties with five points through those opening minutes. At the midway mark of the first half, the score was even at 16-16.
The teams continued to duel in this close MIAC matchup. Each team responded with a score of their own as the lead consistently changed.
Myles Barnette began making plays for the Gusties as they were approaching halftime, contributing on 12 of the 14 points leading up to the half; scoring six of those points and assisting on the other six. The Gusties led the Knights 30-25 at halftime.
The Knights began the second half with a 12-7 run, tying the game at 37-37 with 16:30 to go. The lead change bounced back and forth between the two teams throughout the second half.
Andrew Quam was making his shots, keeping the Gusties ahead until Carleton went on a 7-0 run to take a seven-point lead over the Gusties with just 7:32 to go. Barnette quickly responded, scoring six points to cut the Knights' lead down to just one. Gustavus led by five up 68-63 with 2:39 remaining, but Carleton closed out the game on an 11-2 run. The game came down to the buzzer, but the Gusties came up just shy to the Knights 74-70.
The lead changed 19 times throughout the game. Gustavus outscored Carleton 25-2 in points off turnovers but the Knights outscored the Gusties 17-4 in second-chance points.
Gustavus shot 41.1 percent from the floor and 32.3 percent from three-point range. Carleton shot 54 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Quam led the Gusties in scoring with 22 points on 6-11 shooting with six made three-pointers and three rebounds, followed by Barnette with 20 points on 6-10 shooting, six assists, a block, and two steals.
The Gusties Men's Basketball team will look to bounce back in another MIAC game against the College of St. Scholastica on Wednesday, February 18 at 7:00 p.m. at home at Gus Young Court.
