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04-05 Record: 3-11 MIAC / 4-15 Overall
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| Last Week's Results: Bethel 74, Saint Mary's 57 / Details Gustavus 69, Saint Mary's 50 / Details |
| This Week's Games: Mon., Feb. 7: Saint Mary's at St. John's, 7:30 p.m. Wed., Feb. 9: Hamline at Saint Mary's, 7:30 p.m. Sat., Feb. 12: Saint Mary's at St. Thomas, 3 p.m. |
| This and That: SMU's loss to Gustavus on Saturday was its 27th straight vs. GAC, dating back to a 72-70 win during the 1992-93 season. … The Gustavus streak is one of three extended losing streaks facing the Cardinals in a seven-day period - SMU hopes to snap a 36-game winless streak at St. John's on Monday and a 34-game vs. St. Thomas on Saturday. … After averaging 18.3 ppg in SMU's previous three games, Michael Rohr (Bloomingdale, Ill.) was held to just four points against the Royals last Wednesday. … Rohr did rebound with a team-leading 18 points vs. GAC. … The Cardinals have dropped three straight - all at home - and have not won on their home floor since a 64-54 win vs. St. Olaf on Jan. 19. … Dan Kloak (Elmwood Park, Ill.) is averaging a team-leading 11. 5 ppg, while teammate Eric Lear (Antioch, Ill.) is averaging 11.1 ppg. |
WINONA, Minn. - In the world of cutthroat network television, it's called Sweeps Week - a time when executives from all the major networks pull out all the stops in hopes of luring viewers to tune in to their station.
In the world of Saint Mary's University men's basketball, the next seven days might as well be called Streaks Week - a time when the Cardinals square off against three teams in a seven-day span that boast winning streaks over SMU that are well into double digits.
First, it's Gustavus, a team which entered last Saturday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at the SMU Gym having won 26 straight vs. the Cardinals, dating back to a 72-70 Cardinal win during the 1992-93 season.
On Monday, it's off to St. John's, where the Cardinals are winless since an 80-77 overtime win in 1967-68 - a span of 36 straight.
And on Saturday, it's back on the road to St. Thomas - and the Tommies' 34-game winning streak vs. the Cardinals.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Day 1 of Streaks Week was much like the last 26 against the Gusties, as Gustavus used a team-high 32 points from Doug Espenson to secure a 69-50 victory at the SMU Gymnasium.
"We battled defensively - whenever you hold a league-leading team to 69 points in a game it shows you played good defense - but we're still not taking advantage of our offensive opportunities," SMU coach Mike Trewick said. "We're such a young team, and I think this season has been a learning experience for us more than anything else."
The Cardinals trailed by 10 at the half, 35-25, shooting 56 percent from field goal range to the Gusties' 45 percent effort, only to net 9 of 25 in the second half en route to the loss.
"This is a big week for us," said Trewick, who will be making his first trip back to St. John's - where he spent nine seasons as a men's basketball assistant coach before accepting the SMU head coaching position - on Monday. "We didn't play that poorly (against Gustavus) and if we can put together that same type of effort (against the Johnnies, we'll have a good shot at coming home with a win."