NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Junior Kobe Kirk capped a 30-point performance with a deep three-pointer at the buzzer off a full-court inbound play to give the St. Olaf College men's basketball team a 77-74 victory over Saint Mary's University on Wednesday night at Skoglund Center.

After Saint Mary's (6-19, 2-13 MIAC) missed a potential go-ahead jumper and St. Olaf (4-20, 3-12 MIAC) called timeout, Kirk caught an in bound pass, crossed half court, and pulled up for a buzzer-beating three-pointer from near the sideline that left his hand almost exactly as time expired. The shot gave the Oles just their third lead of the game, their first home victory of the season, and a season sweep of the Cardinals.

Kirk finished with a season-high 30 points while shooting 8-for-16 from the field, 4-for-8 from three-point range, and 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. The 30-point night moved Kirk into a tie for 12th on St. Olaf's all-time scoring list with Stu Neville '12 with 1,186 points. Senior Addison Metcalf added 14 points and a team-high four assists, while first year AJ Uhl had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

St. Olaf overcame 54.2 percent (32-for-59) shooting by Saint Mary's by making 24-of-27 (88.9 percent) of its free throws in the win. Khai Branham led the Cardinals with 26 points on 12-for-15 shooting, while Jabari Sawyer and Bailey McDonald were also in double figures with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Saint Mary's scored 50 of its 74 points in the paint and led for 37:25 on the night, compared to just 19 seconds for St. Olaf.

Saint Mary's shot 58.1 percent (18-for-31) from the field in the opening half to take a 40-27 lead into the break. The visitors broke a 17-17 tie midway through the half with a 14-0 run over the span of 4:03 to take their largest lead of the half at 31-17 with 5:41 to go. Branham had 11 points on 5-for-5 shooting in the half for the Cardinals.

Kirk led a 50-point second half for St. Olaf with 21 points after the break, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. In the second half, Saint Mary's still led 61-45 with 10:01 to go and was up 67-57 with 4:32 left before the Oles mounted a late rally.

After a jumper by Jabari Sawyer put the Cardinals up 67-56 with 5:32 remaining, St. Olaf went on a 12-0 run to take its first lead of the game at 68-67 on a three-point play by Metcalf with 1:54 left. Saint Mary's scored the next four points to go up by three before a dunk by first year Luther Tostrud and a layup by first year Rex Lamb swung the lead back to the Oles at 72-71 with 43 seconds to play.

The Cardinals responded with a three-point play by Branham 10 seconds later to go ahead by two before Metcalf tied the game with a pair of free throws on the next possession. After Metcalf's trip to the line, Sawyer missed a jumper, Kirk grabbed the rebound, and St. Olaf called timeout to set up the game-winning, full-court inbound play.

The Oles will conclude their season with a trip to Hamline University for a 3 p.m. start on Saturday, Feb. 22.