WINONA, Minn. — After picking up a key Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win over St. John's last Saturday, Saint Mary's University men's basketball coach Bob Biebel warned that his team couldn't afford any type of emotional letdown when the Cardinals took the court two days later against high-powered Carleton.

The Cardinals didn't let down — it's just that the Knights never let up.

And when the dust finally settled, the outcome was determined by a thin line — the free throw line.

The Knights went to the free throw line 19 times, making 18, while SMU was a meager 6-for-13 as Carleton pulled away late en route to a 71-60 win over the Cardinals Monday evening at the SMU gym.

Four of the seven players Carleton put on the floor scored in double figures against the Cardinals, led by Kyle Beste's 20 points. It was Carleton's fourth straight win and the seventh win in its last eight games.

Lance Larson (Lakeville, Minn.) scored a game- and season-high 23 points in the losing effort for the Cardinals, who dropped to 2-4 in the MIAC and 2-8 overall. Jim Wangler (Wheaton, Ill.) chipped in 12 points for SMU, which shot a blistering 48 percent from the field — connecting on 24 of 50 field goal attempts — compared to Carleton's 22-for-55 (40 percent) effort.

The Cardinals erased their three-point halftime deficit, taking leads of 37-36 and 39-38, but the Knights took control from there, building their biggest lead, 57-48, with 8:19 remaining. SMU battled back, pulling within two, 58-56, with four minutes to play, but Carleton outscored the Cardinals 13-4 the rest of the way to seal the win.