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Oles Fall in Final Home Game

Jason Welle
February 12, 2001

In the final men?s home game of the season, St. Olaf College lost a tough one to the University of St. Thomas 83-67. The Oles celebrated "Senior Day" before the game and those seniors led the team in stretches that put the outcome in question, but the favored Tommies were too much in the end.

St. Thomas took the lead from the outset, gaining a ten point advantage just seven and a half minutes into the game. The Oles gradually crept back for the remainder of first half, using some nice hustle plays by senior captain Hallie Williams (Sr., Woodbury, Minn.) to narrow the score before Williams and fellow senior captain Ryan Olson (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) hit back-to-back three pointers to cut the Tommie lead to one, 35-34 with 58 seconds left in the half. Though St. Thomas pushed their lead back to four before the break, the energized Skoglund crowd had seen the hot Ole shooters put the game up-for-grabs entering the second half.

St. Thomas regained control after the intermission, again opening a double digit lead just five minutes into the second half. Several small bursts by the Oles attempted to chip away at the Tommie lead, but the Oles could not sustain a comeback push similar to the one in the first half. By the time Mike Ludwig (So., Blaine, Minn.) and Matt Schlenker (FY, Rochester, Minn.) fouled out with over six minutes to play, St. Thomas had a 20-point advantage and the contest was decided. Shooting over 60% in the second half, the Tommies downed the Oles 83-67.

St. Thomas? Mike Wrobel led all scorers with 22, followed by fellow Tommies Cole Butler with 20 and Mark Buri with 19. The three players were a combined 22 of 31, leading a sizzling St. Thomas squad that shot 56% for the game. Williams led the more balanced Ole attack with 12.

Before the game, St. Olaf coach Dan Kosmoski recognized the team?s three seniors for their contributions to the St. Olaf men?s basketball program. He called the parents of those seniors, Williams, Olson, and Ben Kidder, to the floor with their sons to take part in the ceremony. Williams also recognized former player John Schockemoehl, a St. Olaf student who was killed in a car accident this fall and to whom the team has dedicated its season.

The Oles fall to 6-16 overall, 4-14 in the MIAC. St. Olaf travels to Augsburg on Monday night before closing its season February 17th at Carleton. The win boosts the Tommies to 13-5 in league play and 17-5 overall. They next see action at Macalester on Monday night before hosting Carleton on February 14th to end their regular season.

Contact Pat Buresh at 507-786-3315 or buresh@stolaf.edu.