SAINT PAUL, MINN.--The Hamline University men's basketball team snapped a two-game losing skid with an 85-70 victory over Macalester in their 2024-25 MIAC opener at the Leonard Center on Wednesday evening.
The Pipers, who opened MIAC play with a victory for the third-straight season, improve to 4-3,1-0 MIAC. The Scots fall to 2-7, 0-1 MIAC.
Hamline 85, Macalester 70
The first half saw a competitive start with both teams exchanging leads early on, highlighted by
Bradley Cimperman's opening jumper and subsequent layup for Hamline. With 16:46 on the clock,
Austin Holt's free throws gave Hamline a slight 6-4 edge, but Macalester responded with JP Kerrigan's 3-pointer to take a 7-6 lead with 16:31 on the clock. Midway through the frame,
Raoul Vaidya hit a 3-pointer, extending their lead to 22-19, as part of a significant scoring stretch for the Pipers. The final minutes saw a decisive run by Hamline, with Vaidya and Holt both contributing to a 35-21 lead, which was further solidified by Cimperman's 3-pointers at 4:38 and 2:12, which played a significant impact in Hamline's 47-30 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Pipers maintained a strong advantage over the Scots, starting with
Austin Holt scoring a layup at the beginning of the half to bring the score to 49-30.
Brendan Ebel contributed significantly with steals and assists, including a pair of successful free throws at the 17:52 mark to extend Hamline's lead to 58-33. Macalester's Noah Shannon attempted to keep his team in the game with a layup and free throw combination, narrowing the gap slightly to 77-54 with 4:42 remaining. Hamline's
Cole Peterson sealed the game with a 3-pointer with 2:16 left, ensuring a comfortable 85-64 lead before the Pipers defeated Macalester 85-70.
Bradley Cimperman led Hamline with 21 points and seven rebounds. He was effective from the field, hitting nine-of-14 shots, including three 3-pointers, and two blocks.
Raoul Vaidya notched 18 points with a strong shooting display, making seven-of-11 field goals and four 3-pointers.
Austin Holt showcased his versatility with a double-double, recording 12 points and 15 rebounds, as well as leading the team with seven assists.
Brendan Ebel contributed across the board, scoring 13 points, grabbing four rebounds, and leading the team with three steals.
Daniel McCarrell added to the defensive effort with two steals while contributing six points and three assists.
The Pipers shot .515 (34-of-66) against the Scots' .431 (25-of-58) mark, and pulled down a season-high 16 offensive rebounds that turned into 18 second-chance points.
Noah Shannon led the Scots in field goals made, scoring six-of-thirteen attempts. He also contributed significantly on the boards with nine rebounds. Kaden Holdbrook was a key player with twelve points, five field goals made, and two steals, showcasing his defensive skills. Ryan Brush stood out by making three out of four 3-point attempts, adding up to twelve points and contributing to the team's outside shooting. JP Kerrigan added eleven points and was efficient from beyond the arc, hitting two of his three 3-point attempts.
Hamline will host Bethel at Hutton Arena on Saturday, December 7 at 1 p.m.
