SAINT PETER, Minn. – A tough second half resulted in an 84-68 loss for Gustavus men’s basketball against St. Olaf on Saturday afternoon. The Gusties drop to 3-8 overall and 3-3 in the MIAC while the Oles improve to 6-4 overall and 3-2 in the league.
St. Olaf gained the early advantage with a 13-7 lead after the first five minutes before the Gusties marched back with 10 unanswered points to force a timeout. Gustavus maintained the lead throughout the remainder of the first half, leading by as much as seven with 6:34 on the clock and carried a 37-35 advantage at halftime.
The Oles gained the upper hand early in the second, going on a 14-3 run in the first five minutes of the half. Trailing 53-42 with 12:50 remaining, the Gusties rallied with 11 unanswered points over the next three minutes, cutting the deficit to two. But the Oles responded with a 16-2 spree to put the game out of reach.
Gustavus held St. Olaf to 40.3 percent shooting, but turned the ball over 21 times and shot a pedestrian 39.7 percent. The Oles took advantage of their opportunities at the free throw line, going a perfect 18-18. The visitors also won the rebound battle 43-39.
Logan Rezac (Jr., Andover) led the Gustie offense with 21 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Kaleb Feahn (Jr., Waseca) contributed 15 points off the bench.
Gustavus has a quick turnaround with home game Monday night against Carleton. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Gus Young Court.