NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Sophomore Dominic Bledsoe led the St. Olaf College men's basketball team with 15 points, but the Oles fell to No. 17 Saint John's, 74-57, in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) contest at Skoglund Center on Saturday afternoon.

St. Olaf (11-12, 10-8 MIAC) was held to 21.2 percent shooting from the floor in the second half as Saint John's (19-4, 15-3 MIAC) shot 42.1 percent from the floor and sank 19-of-23 free throws.

The Oles honored their five seniors, including Ben Scheffley, Sam Stensgard, Austin Korba, Jake Lyle and Frank Delaney, along with senior manager, Lindsey Mertens. This group of seniors has recorded 61 victories, including 48 MIAC wins, won a MIAC Playoff championship in the 2015-16 season, and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

Bledsoe led St. Olaf with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Korba added 13 points, five rebounds and two steals.  Stensgard reached double figures with 10 points, while junior Nate Albers had nine points and four rebounds.

Five minutes into play, the Johnnies jumped out to a seven-point lead at 10-3 after a Lucas Walford basket in the paint. The Oles responded with a 10-4 run and came within one of Saint John's after a jumper from Bledsoe.

The Johnnies took its largest lead of the half with a free throw from Zach Hanson, as 4:57 remained in the first half, with the score at 28-20. St. Olaf came within one point of Saint John's twice before the end of the half, but the Johnnies extended the lead to five, at 37-32, heading into the second half.

Saint John's scored the first seven points of the half and extended the lead to double digits. A three-pointer from junior Troy Diggins Jr. at the 13:57 mark cut the Oles' deficit to seven. Bledsoe was fouled on the shot behind the arc and brought St. Olaf within six, which would be the closest they got for the remainder of the game.

The Johnnies went on a 12-5 run in the last five minutes of the game to secure the victory.

Despite the Oles forcing 15 turnovers by the Johnnies, Saint John's shot 47.8 percent in the game, along with 25-of-31 shooting from the free throw line, compared to 32.3 percent shooting from St. Olaf in the game.

The Oles return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 13, as they travel to St. Paul for the second contest against Hamline of the season, beginning at 7 p.m.