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Men's Basketball QuickFacts
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The Record: 2-18 MIAC / 2-23 Overall
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Cardinal Men's BasketballHome
(sports.smumn.edu/m_basketball)
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| Date |
Opponent |
Result |
| Nov. 22 |
UW-La Crosse |
L, 66-63 |
| Nov. 26 |
at Benedictine |
L, 63-62 |
| Dec. 4 |
at Hamline |
W, 83-70 |
| Dec. 7 |
St. Olaf |
L, 79-69 |
| Dec. 9 |
Bethel |
L, 73-62 |
| Dec. 11 |
at St. Thomas |
L, 65-45 |
| Dec. 19 |
at Regis (Colo.) |
L, 98-64 |
| Dec. 20 |
at Colorado College |
L, 74-66 |
| Jan. 4 |
St. John's |
W, 72-67 |
| Jan. 6 |
Carleton |
L, 71-60 |
| Jan. 8 |
Macalester |
L, 66-56 |
| Jan. 11 |
at Gustavus |
L, 92-57 |
| Jan. 15 |
Augsburg |
L, 71-64 |
| Jan. 18 |
UW-Eau Claire |
L, 78-50 |
| Jan. 20 |
at Concordia |
L, 71-52 |
| Jan. 22 |
Hamline |
L, 66-60 |
| Jan. 25 |
at St. Olaf |
L, 89-74 |
| Jan. 29 |
at Bethel |
L, 84-57 |
| Feb. 1 |
St. Thomas |
L, 65-62 OT |
| Feb. 5 |
at Carleton |
L, 76-55 |
| Feb. 6 |
at St. John's |
L, 72-52 |
| Feb. 8 |
at Macalester |
L, 75-62 |
| Feb. 9 |
Concordia |
L, 77-73 |
| Feb. 12 |
Gustavus |
L, 73-64 |
| Feb. 15 |
at Augsburg |
L, 62-69 |
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2003 certainly didn't turn out to be the Year of the Cardinal for SMU
WINOINA, Minn. — When the Saint Mary's University men's basketball team rang in the new year with a 72-67 home win against St. John's, the Cardinals must have thought 2003 was going to be a year to remember.
Instead, it became the year to forget.
After kicking off the new year with that thrilling five-point win, the Cardinals did not get to savor the thrill of victory again, dropping 16 straight games, including Saturday's 62-59 loss to Augsburg in SMU's season finale.
SMU raced out to a 25-23 halftime advantage, and led 42-40 with 10:18 remaining, only to have Augsburg go on an 11-2 run to take its biggest lead of the game, 51-43, with 5:45 left. Down, but not out, SMU scored nine unanswered points — including four from Lance Larson (Lakeville, Minn.) — to regain the lead, 52-51.
Unfortunately for SMU (2-18 MIAC, 2-23 overall) — as has been a recurring theme during the Cardinals' slide — the lead was short-lived as Augsburg used a 10-2 run over a two-minute span late in the game to secure the win.
"We played hard," said SMU coach Bob Biebel. "Defensively, we did a nice job — Augsburg only shot 40 percent from the field, but then we turned around and shot 30 percent (from the field). You aren't going to win many basketball games shooting 30 percent."
Nick Michaels (Dyer, Ind.) scored a game-high 22 points in his final collegiate game, while Jim Wangler (Wheaton, Ill.) tossed in 14 points and Dan Kloak (Elmwood Park, Ill.) pulled down 11 rebounds.
"It was a tough way to end the season," admitted Biebel, whose team finished at 2-18 in the MIAC and 2-23 overall. "We came into the season with some pretty high expectations, and we didn't live up to them — and that's disappointing.
"But we did have some young guys step up and play well for us. Hopefully we can add a few pieces to the puzzle in the offseason and get back at it."
*THIS AND THAT: Nick Michaels (Dyer, Ind.) scored a game-high 22 points vs. Augsburg, giving the SMU senior 1,059 points — ranking him 18th all-time in SMU history. … Michaels' 22-point effort was also his fourth 20-plus performance and his 18th double-figure output in the Cardinals' 25 games. … SMU ended the season with 16 straight losses. … As a team, the Cardinals attempted 415 free throws, while their opponents went to the free-throw line 604 times. … Michaels' 13.5 ppg average led three SMU players in double figures. Jim Wangler (Wehston, Ill.) and Lance Larson (Lakeville, Minn.) also ended the season averaging in double figures at 12.1 and 10.5 ppg, respectively. |
