NORTHFIELD, MINN.—The Hamline University men's basketball team's post-holiday schedule kicked-off with a rare Monday night bout at St. Olaf College. The Pipers registered a season-high 14 steals in the contest, but couldn't get over the hump in a 70-69 loss to the Oles.

The Pipers fall to 4-7, 2-4 MIAC, while St. Olaf improves to 7-3, 3-2 MIAC.

St. Olaf 70, Hamline 69

Despite Hamline's season-high 14 steals, the Oles peppered them for a 28-of-49 (.571) shooting mark. Conner Krenos made up for that with a season-high four steals for Hamline, which included two within the final 3:00 of the contest. Down 68-62, Krenos's steal with 2:33 left in the contest set up the Pipers' 5-0 run that got them within one of St. Olaf at 68-67 with 1:48 left in the game.

Krenos came through in the clutch once again with a steal immediately after Jake Veldman's jumper with 1:07 remaining in the game that cut Hamline's deficit to 70-69. The Pipers would come up empty with a pair of missed three-pointers to close the game.

Cooper Berg led the Pipers with 15 points, while Jake Larson and Krenos each added 13. Bradley Cimperman tallied nine points in his Pipers debut. Charlie Haff led St. Olaf with a double double that included 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Hamline will host St. Scholastica on Wednesday, January 5 at 7 p.m.