COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Top-seeded and third-ranked Saint John's University shot 53.2 percent from the field on its way to a 71-43 victory over the St. Olaf College men's basketball team in the semifinals of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Playoffs on Thursday evening at Sexton Arena.

In addition to shooting over 50 percent in the game, Saint John's (24-2) held St. Olaf (13-14) to 30.9 percent from the field to advance to host second-seeded St. Thomas in the title game of the tournament on Saturday night. The Oles saw their season come to an end after appearing in the semifinals for the fifth time in seven seasons.

The game brought an end to the careers of St. Olaf's four seniors: Nate Albers, Troy Diggins Jr., Noah Beck and Travis Fauchald. The quartet helped the Oles post a record of 57-49 over their four-year careers and qualified for the MIAC Playoffs in each of the last three seasons, in addition to an NCAA Tournament appearance as sophomores.

Beck led the Oles with 13 points and was his team's lone double-digit-point scorer of the night. Diggins Jr. added seven points and six rebounds on a night that saw St. Olaf shot a season-low 30.9 percent overall. Albers, St. Olaf's leading scorer on the season, missed the game due to an injury.

Jubie Alade scored 13 of his game-high 17 points in the first half for Saint John's, which got 14 points and seven rebounds from Zach Hanson and 10 points off the bench from Sean Ryan. The Johnnies outscored the Oles, 36-16, in the paint in the game.

Early three-pointers from Beck, first year Jake Weber and junior Dominic Bledsoe helped St. Olaf to a 13-9 lead six minutes into the game. The Oles held a one-point advantage before the Johnnies went on a 9-0 over a span of 3:41 to take a 25-17 lead with 5:21 left in the half.

Back-to-back baskets in the paint by Hanson gave Saint John's its first double-digit-point lead of the game at 32-21 with 1:29 left in the half. The Johnnies led by 13, 34-21, at the break, led by Alade's 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting.

Saint John's quickly ballooned its lead to 20, 41-21, by scoring the first seven points of the second half. A three-pointer by sophomore Nathan Hendler with 11:22 to go that made the score 46-32 was as close as St. Olaf would get the rest of the way.

Albers finished his career 18th on St. Olaf's all-time scoring list with 1,051 points in 89 career games for an average of 11.8 points per game. Diggins Jr. totaled 862 points, 402 rebounds and 180 assists in 95 games as an Ole, while Beck scored over 500 points as a starter over his final two seasons.