LISLE, Ill. — Nick Michaels (Dyer, Ind.) scored a game-high 26 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, but the senior's Herculean effort wasn't enough as the Saint Mary's University men's basketball team saw its second-half comeback fall one point short in a 63-62 nonconference loss to Benedictine Tuesday evening.

The Cardinals, who saw a 12-point, 42-30 halftime lead slip through their fingers in their season-opening 66-63 loss to UW-La Crosse last Friday, had the tables turned against Benedictine. SMU managed just eight field goals and shot just 32 percent from field in falling behind 32-27 at halftime.

SMU's offense came to life in the second half, cutting the lead to two on two separate occasions — both on three-pointers by Lance Larson (Lakeville, Minn.), the second of which pulled the Cardinals to within 61-59. A pair of Benedictine free throws, one by Ron Welkomer and the other by Bryan Uselding pushed Benedictine's lead to 63-59. Michaels pulled down a rebound with 17 seconds remaining and nailed a three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining to make it a one-point game.

Larson also scored in double figures for the Cardinals, netting 14 points, while William Crawford's 18-point, 16-rebound effort led the way for Benedictine, which pushed its season-opening winning streak to three straight.