Box Score MORRIS, Minn. – Thanks to a hot shooting second half, especially from three, the Cougars (2-1) overcame a 44-36 first half deficit to beat St. John's (1-2) 96-87. Minnesota Morris was 8-10 from three in the second half and was 12-21 on the night. Cody Emrick had a season high 25 points, 22 in the second half, to lead the team in scoring.
 
Tyler Pendleton had a career high 20 points including going 5-7 from three in the game. In the second half Pendleton was 3-3 from beyond the arc. Emrick was also 3-3 from three in the second half and helped ice the game going 9-10 from the foul line in the second half. Four other Cougars scored in double figures; RJ Dean (12), Neil Helgeson (11), Brendon Foss (10) and Kevin Heysee (10).
 
It was a tight battle in the first half as the Cougars and Johnnies went back and forth with each other. The score was tied at 14 with 11:53 left in the half when St. John's tried to gain some separation. After taking the lead with a jump shot, two minutes later, the Johnnies did not let the Cougars tie the score the rest of the half. A 10-3 run gave SJU a 28-20 lead with 5:59 left in the half. The Cougars got as close as four but were kept from cutting the lead to a single possession. The lead would grow as large as ten in the first half after Alex Schmitt hit a three with 1:47 left in the half. Heysee hit a three for the Cougars with less than ten seconds left cutting the lead to five but Jack Wittenberg responded with a three at the buzzer giving SJU the 44-36 lead at the half.
 
In the first twenty minutes of action UMM shot111-26 from the field and struggled at the line, going 10-16. St. John's outscored Morris, 28-14 in the paint in the first half. Heysee and Pendleton each had seven points in the half for UMM. The Johnnies were on fire from the field in the opening half, shooting 71.4% (20-28) in the half.
 
Out of the break the Cougars went on a 9-3 run to tie the game at 47 thanks to two threes from Emrick. The run continued as the Cougars took a 51-47 lead after layups from Evan Reller and Dean. Minnesota Morris prevented the Johnnies from tying the game back up until the 10:33 mark in the second half. Foss hit a three with 8:14 left capping a quick 5-0 run but SJU cut the lead to one with 5:59 left. Leading by two, 73-71, with 4:09 left the Cougars went on an 11-3 run to take a 10 point lead with 1:27 left in the game. The Johnnies did not go away quietly, hitting three long range shots to attempt a comeback. St. John's fouled late to aid the comeback but the Cougars would go 12-12 from the foul line in the final 68 seconds to secure the victory. Prior to the 12 straight made free throws Morris was 18-28 (64%) from the foul line in the game.
 
The Cougars shot 16-21 from the field in the second half. In addition, they were 20-24 from the foul line in the final twenty minutes of action.
 
Minnesota Morris will be back in action Saturday against Gustavus Adolphus at 3 p.m. in the P.E. Center.