WINONA, Minn. – Seniors Nate Albers and Noah Beck each had 17 points, but the St. Olaf College men's basketball team fell to Saint Mary's Unversity, 80-74, in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opener on Saturday afternoon at Saint Mary's Gym.

Beck had 11 of his 17 in the first half and Albers added eight rebounds in the contest. Saint Mary's (1-1, 1-0 MIAC) Sawyer Rosner scored at 2:47 to even the score at 72-72, and sank a three-pointer 34 seconds later to give the Cardinals a three-point lead as Saint Mary's would hold the lead over St. Olaf (3-2, 0-1 MIAC) for the remainder of the contest.

In addition to Albers and Beck, first year Michael Meriggioli had a career-best 13 points and six rebounds, and junior Dominic Bledsoe was 8-for-8 from the free throw line and added 12 points for the Oles.

A pair of free throws from Beck followed by a three-pointer from Albers brought the Oles within two of the Cardinals at 9-7 five minutes into the game before Saint Mary's went on an 11-3 run and took a 10-point lead, its largest of the half, on a layup from Eli Cave.

 After trailing by eight with 10:17 left in the first half, first year Jake Weber found first year Charlie Haff inside for a bucket, followed by jumper from Bledsoe to cut the deficit to four with nine minutes to go in the half.

Weber sank a jumper and tied the score at 31-31 with three and a half minutes left in the half, followed by a pair of free throws from Bledsoe to give St. Olaf its first lead of the game at 33-32.

Beck scored a fast-break basket to extend the Oles lead to three before back-to-back three pointers from Saint Mary's put the Cardinals back up three. Meriggioli found Beck for a basket to cut the lead to two heading into the half.

St. Olaf scored the first seven points of the second half to take the lead and extend it to six at 44-38, as Albers found Beck for a jumper just a minute and a half into the period.

Saint Mary's would come as close as two twice in the first eight minutes of the half, but the Oles answered both times to extend its lead, including a three-pointer from senior Troy Diggins Jr. at 12:23 to put St. Olaf up, 55-50.

Cave scored three possessions in a row to regain a lead for Sain Mary's for the first time since 19:29 in the half at 62-61 and just under eight minutes remaining. The Cardinals and the Oles traded baskets for the next three possessions, resulting in a tied score at 65-65 with five and a half minutes left.

After trailing by one, Merrigioli finished a three-point play to put St. Olaf up, 72-70, with 2:47 to go. The Cardinals answered with a layup to even the score, and sank a three-pointer in the following possession to put Saint Mary's up three, 75-72. The Cardinals finished the game on a 13-5 run in the final four and a half minutes to help secure the victory.

The Oles had 21 bench points compared to just 13 from the Cardinals, but Saint Mary's sank 10 three-pointers in the game. Cave led Saint Mary's with 18 points and Kevin Gleason added 17.

St. Olaf continues MIAC play on the road on Tuesday, Nov. 26 against Bethel at 7 p.m.