ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Hamline men's basketball team (1-3, 0-1 MIAC) opened their conference schedule on Saturday, hanging with No. 3 Saint John's (2-0, 1-0 MIAC) until the final seconds, falling 79-75 at Hutton Arena.
 
In a game that featured 18 lead changes and 11 ties, the Johnnies found a way to come away with a win, getting some key defensive stops down the stretch. The Pipers led by six with 5:30 to play in the game, but were then held scoreless for the next three minutes where SJU went on an 8-0 run to take a two-point lead. Free throws from junior Luke Siwek and a jumper form junior Jake Larson would put HU back up by two, but Saint John's would retaliate with a three and then hold the Pipers on the next two possessions and hit a few free throws to secure the four-point win.
 
Siwek led Hamline in scoring in the loss with 18 points and senior Michael Dillon was not far behind with 17 points of his own. Sophomore Marshall Holland played tough on the boards for HU, securing a team-high eight rebounds, three of which were offensive.
 
Larson tacked on nine points and senior Trey Prince had eight, with each of them dishing out three assists.
 
As a team, the Pipers did not shoot as well as the Johnnies, shooting 42.2% from the field, compared to Saint John's 58.3%. SJU also shot well from three, knocking down 52.2% from beyond the arc. The Pipers battled through, however, getting 10 offensive rebounds and holding a 12-6 edge in second chance points, while also hitting all 11 of their free throw attempts. They continue to lead the conference in free throw percentage, now at 82.0% on the season.
 
The game was back-and-forth from the get-go, with no team leading by more than four at any point in the first half. Halfway through the first frame, the game was tied at 14, but a few minutes later a three from Prince would put HU up by four at 20-16. The scoring continued to be pretty even, with the Johnnies hitting a three to take a two-point (33-31) lead into the break.
 
In the second half, Saint John's pushed their lead to five pretty early in the half, but by the 15-minute mark, a three from Dillon would allow Hamline to take over the lead, 47-45. From there, it remained a tight game, as the teams traded baskets for the majority of the rest of the half, until the Pipers were able to push their lead to six (the biggest margin of the game) with 5:30 to go. With 35 seconds left, HU found themselves down two and was able to get a few shots off during their possession, but none would fall and the Johnnies went on to win 79-75, sinking a pair of free throws with only seconds left to seal it.
 
Saint John's got big performances from Zach Hanson, who was a big presence inside ending with 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Oakley Barker, who hit seven threes on 11 attempts.
 
The Pipers will play again on Wednesday, traveling to St. Thomas for a 7:00 p.m. conference matchup. Check the schedule page for live stat and video links.