Box Score It was a night Hamline University men's basketball player Austin Johnson (24) may never forget. 

And St. Mary's will try to as soon as possible. 

Johnson scored a career high 26 points -- 18 in the second half -- as the Pipers shrugged off a slow start to record a 81-57 victory over the Cardinals Wednesday night at Hutton Arena. It was also the most points scored by a Piper player in a game this season. HU avenged a loss to the Cardinals inb the conference opener in style, outscoring the visitors 49-27 in the second half to improve to 7-10 overall, 4-8 in the MIAC. 

Johnson was 10-15 from the field and 4-6 from three-point range. Hamline shot a season high 58 per cent from the field and scored a season high in points in the win. Head coach Jim Hayes was able to use 17 players, including the first appearance this season of guard Nick Kampa, who had been sideline with a broken arm suffered in early November while playing football for the Pipers. 

It didn't start like it would be a good night for Hamline. The Cardinals scored the game's first seven points and stayed in front until Zach Smith converted a three-point play with 1;19 left in the half to send HU to the locker room with a 32-30 edge. 

It was still tight at 44-40 when the Pipers exploded for an 18-2 run in a seven minute span.  In all, Hamline was 20-29 from the field in the second session, a sparkling 69 per cent. In addition to Johnson, Dior Ford and Smith had 15 points and Quinton Garvis added 12. Ford also had a game high eight rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. The 24 point final margin was the largest HU victory in a MIAC game in three seasons. 

The Pipers continue a three-game homestand Saturday with a game agagainst Gustavus Adolphus (10-6, 6-5 MIAC). Game time is 3:00 p.m.