Staff Writer- Alayna Boe
Being in full swing, the Gustavus Adolphus men’s basketball team has been hitting the road along with the home court this season. On Saturday, Dec. 6th, the men hit the road to Winona, Minnesota. Taking on the Saint Mary’s University Cardinals, the Gusties were seeking to improve their MIAC record, along with their overall record. This road match came easily for the traveling team, and the Gusties were victorious. Defeating the Cardinals 90-54, the Gusties had a road win, adding to their records.
This win made the men’s basketball team have a 2-0 MIAC record and a 6-1 overall. Coming off an MIAC regular-season title, this team is looking to get back into the MIAC championship and bring home the victory as they did in the 2023-2024 season. With these lofty goals, the guys work extremely hard to better themselves every day. Discipline is the main word that comes to mind when thinking about any of these men. This is due to the fact that they are student-athletes and must balance school, basketball, and their social lives all at once. The game against SMU was a great example of this discipline showing in-game.
Starting off in a rough patch, the Gusties fell behind by eight points at the peak of their deficit. However, this did not last long, and they quickly conquered Saint Mary’s in this head-to-head matchup. In an incredible run, Gustavus showed no mercy and no signs of stopping. Going on a run of 27-0, the Gusties were not giving the Cardinals any chance of catching up in this first half. At the end of this first half, Gustavus was up 48-21 and had no signs of fatigue in this conference game. Saint Mary’s was dragging a little, making only 8 field goals out of 26 attempted shots. On the contrary, Gustavus Adolphus made 19 of their 37 attempts, which allowed them a large lead during the opening half.
The final half of this road game was dominated by the Gustavus Adolphus College Golden Gusties. Always leading by at least 25 points, Gustavus was never in a compromising position to not be the victor of this game. At one point, the Gusties led by 47 points, and Saint Mary’s had no chance to catch up. SMU had a better shooting percentage in this half and drained 11 of the 29 attempted shots. This made their morale better, but they did not make enough baskets to win the game in the end. The Cardinals also made 6 out of 10 free throws, while Gustavus made 6 of their 7 free throw attempts.
Ultimately, the Golden Gusties were victorious over the Cardinals. Winning 90-54, the Gusties never let up on this team. Stealing the ball was a big part of this matchup, and Gustavus had 12 total steals in this game. This allowed them to control the ball for most of the time and make plays. They also controlled the ball from SMU’s 17 turnovers. Ball control and ball movement are key to a great team and winning. Junior Myles Barnette was the leading scorer for this conference game. He went 8-11 for his shooting, totaling 16 points overall. Senior Connor Beauchamp made a team high of 7 rebounds during this match, which furthered the team’s lead even more.
Coming up for the Gusties, they have a big match at home on December 10th, along with a road match in Indianola, Iowa, on Tuesday, Dec. 16th. These two games will set the men up for success before they travel to Florida to take on two teams at the Florida Sunshine Shootout. This trip will be a fantastic playing and bonding experience for the men. The road to the MIAC and NCAA is looking optimistic for this team. Staying in optimal condition will be crucial for these boys, but with enough recovery, they will be starting off 2026 with a bang.
Improving their MIAC record to 2-0 after this game, Gustavus will seek to improve even more and become 3-0 after their matchup against Saint John’s on Wednesday, Dec. 10th. This will be the final conference game in 2025 for the men’s basketball team, so the energy and anticipation are high. This will be the first Gustavus vs. Saint John’s game of the 2025-2026 season. Gustavus seeks to win against the Johnnies like they did last season. In addition to the men’s team improving their record, the intramural team “Gustie Gooners” played on Tuesday, Dec. 9th, and improved their record to 11-0. Go Gusties!