The three seniors on the Carleton College men's basketball roster ensured that the famed Goat Trophy would remain in West Gym for another year. Seth Jonker poured in a game-high 25 points—including 16 in the second half—as the Knights held on for a 72-69 victory at crosstown rival St. Olaf College. Classmates Jeremy Sutherland and Carter Biewen also finished in double figures.
The Knights (10-6, 9-2 MIAC) shot 50 percent for the game, including a blistering 60.7 percent from the floor in the first half, a figure helped significantly by an astounding 7-of-9 performance from three-point land. Carleton made 12-of-14 shots over one early stretch and exploded to a 31-6 lead at the 9:30 mark, as the visitors built a 49-26 advantage at the break.
Carleton's final points of the half came with 1:22 before intermission as Sutherland drained a long three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to give the Knights 49 first-half points, their highest-scoring period of the season and helping Carleton to a 49-26 lead at the midpoint.
Jonker scored six of the Knights' first nine points after intermission, but the momentum shifted to the Oles when he picked up his fourth foul with 13:07 still to play.
Carleton still held a seemingly comfortable 58-41 advantage at the time, but an 11-2 St. Olaf run over the next six-and-half minutes made it an eight-point contest with 6:40 still to play.
Jonker's fadeaway jumper with 5:46 remaining pushed the Carleton lead back to double-digits at 64-54, and he tallied the Knights' final 10 points. Down the stretch, every time St. Olaf knocked down a clutch shot, Jonker had an answer at the other end.
The Oles' Michael Jenson made it a four-point game, 66-62 with a layup at the 2:21 mark, but Jonker answered by splitting the St. Olaf defense and taking it strong to the hoop for a crucial layup. Following a timeout, Jenson drained a triple to make it a three-point contest, but Jonker responded again. This time it was via another tough jumper, and following a defensive rebound, he drained a pair of free throws to give Carleton a 72-65 lead.
A pair of Carleton misfires from the charity stripe down the stretch left the door open for St. Olaf, and Stu Neville's running three-pointer at the buzzer was well short.
In addition to scoring 16 of Carleton's 23 second-half points, Jonker pulled down a game-high nine rebounds and a team-best four assists. Sutherland contributed 13 points, and Biewen added 10 points as he did not miss a shots on the afternoon.
Neville had 19 points to pace the Oles, who saw three players finish in double figures.
With the victory, the Knights keep pace with Gustavus Adolphus College for second place in the MIAC standings. Carleton hosts Concordia College for a women's-men's doubleheader on Wednesday, Jan. 26. A live video webcast of both games will be available on Knights Online.