The Gustavus Adolphus men’s basketball team dropped to 6-6 overall and 4-3 in the MIAC Wednesday evening as the Gusties fell to third-ranked St. Thomas 74-57 at Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul. Trevor Wittwer (Jr., Redwood Falls, Minn.) scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Gusties.
The score remained close throughout most of the first half, but the Tommies used an 11-4 run over the final 6:24 of the first period to turn a 20-20 tie into a 31-24 halftime advantage. Gustavus scored the first basket of the second half to cut the lead to 31-26, but were unable to get any closer during the rest of the game.
Bryan Schnettler and Isaac Rosefelt each scored 22 points as the host Tommies shot 55% from the field. Rosefelt added eight rebounds and three blocks for the Tommies (12-1 overall, 8-0 MIAC), who retained at least a share of the league lead. The Gusties, playing their fourth consecutive road game, shot just 37% from the field including a 3-for-21 mark from three-point range. St. Thomas also controlled the inside game, out-rebounding Gustavus by a 37-26 margin overall and by a 26-15 clip on the defensive glass. The Tommies also outscored the Gusties 38-8 in the paint and held a 16-8 advantage in second-chance points.
Wittwer picked up 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and added five rebounds, three assists, two steals and Gustavus’ only blocked shot of the game. He was followed by Phil Sowden (Sr., Brooklyn Park, Minn.) and Andrew Doble (Jr., Sarasota, Fla.) with eight points apiece. Sowden also finished with a team-high six rebounds.
The Gusties, who have played their last four game on the road, will host Hamline (4-8, 2-5 MIAC) Saturday afternoon at Gus Young Court in St. Peter before taking to the road again for a league tilt at St. Olaf next Monday. The Tommies close the first half of the 20-game MIAC schedule with road games Saturday at Concordia-Moorhead and Jan. 17 at Saint John’s.