COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. — Hamline's late rally fell short as they were edged by Saint John's University 75-73 in a tightly contested MIAC matchup on Saturday. Despite the loss, the Pipers' defense stood out with seven blocked shots and five steals.

Hamline and Saint John's traded leads throughout a competitive first half, ending with Saint John's holding a narrow 35-32 advantage. Dominic Dosmann provided an early lift for the Pipers, scoring consecutive layups, including one on a fast break at the 16:36 mark. Brendan Ebel was effective at the free-throw line, making four out of six attempts, and added a steal and layup to contribute to Hamline's scoring. Justin Johnson closed the half strong for Saint John's, hitting a crucial three-pointer with 58 seconds remaining and adding two free throws to help secure the home team's lead.

Ebel was instrumental in the second half, contributing significantly with a crucial 3-pointer at the 1:31 mark to narrow the deficit. Despite the Pipers' efforts to close the gap, including Raoul Vaidya's key 3-pointer with 49 seconds left, Saint John's maintained a slight edge. Johnson's layup and Baiden Bean's jumper helped Saint John's keep the lead. Dane DeDominces' layup in the final seconds offered Hamline a glimmer of hope, but Saint John's secured a 75-73 victory.

Ebel led the team with 22 points, converting 13 of 18 free throws and collecting three steals. DeDominces posted a double-double, scoring 15 points and securing 11 rebounds. Dosmann contributed defensively with three blocks while adding six points. Vaidya added nine points with one 3-pointer and recorded three rebounds.

The Pipers will be back at home on Wednesday, January 14 for a 7:30 PM tipoff against Carleton at Hutton Arena!