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Smith gains 600th win in Johnnies win over Oles

Judy Stromayer
February 7, 2002

St. John's University was a steamy 13-for-21 from three-point range in the Johnnies 90-76 win over St. Olaf at Sexton Arena in Collegeville. The win was the 600th career win for St. John's coach Jim Smith.

Smith's first win came in 1964. In his 38 seasons, Smith has led his teams to seven MIAC titles, five MIAC playoff titles, nine trips to the NAIA tournament and seven trips to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Smith has won MIAC titles in each of the past five decades. His career record is 600-397. The game was close throughout the first half, though the Oles only led once, at 9-8. The Johnnies then went on an 11-0 run before St. Olaf countered with a 16-8 run of their own to cut the lead to three. Near the end of the half, with the Johnnies leading by just four, St. John's Kevin Buth (Sr., Edina, Minn.) had two key three-point baskets in the final forty seconds of the first half to extend their lead to ten at the break, 42-32.

St. Olaf would get no closer than four to the Johnnies in the second half, despite shooting 57 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from the arc. St. John's was 58.6 percent from the floor and seven-of-12 from three point in the second frame.

Mike Nester (Sr., Redwood Falls, Minn.) led the Johnnies with 17 of his game-high 25 points in the second half to help fend off the Oles. Shawn McGuire (Jr., Monticello, Minn.) added 18 points and Ryan Keating (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.) had 11 assists in the win for the Johnnies.

Luke Witt, a senior from Red Wing, Minn., collected 16 of his 21 points in the first half. With his first three pointer, Witt became the 27th player in St. John's history to break 1,000 points. Witt was five-for-eight shooting from three point land.

Justin Bonestroo (Jr., Stillwater, Minn.) had a team-high 15 points for the Oles. Tim Nelson (Jr., Braham, Minn.) and Kevin Jaunich (Jr., Delano, Minn.) each had 13 and Mike Ludwig (Jr., Blaine, Minn.) added ten in a losing effort.

The loss marks the eighth in a row and 12 of the last 13 for the Oles.

The Oles will next be in action on Saturday, February 9, when they travel to St. Paul, to face first place University of St. Thomas.

Contact Judy Stromayer at 507-786-3315 or stromaye@stolaf.edu.