Bradley Cimperman hit a three-pointer at the buzzer as fourth-seeded Hamline beat MIAC regular-season champion St. John’s for the second time this season, winning 83-80 in the conference tournament semifinals in Collegeville, Minn.
Hamline’s buzzer-beater sinks St. John’s; Gustavus outlasts Carleton in two overtimes in MIAC semifinals
Gustavus Adolphus will play host to both the men’s and women’s MIAC championship games on Saturday.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 23, 2024 at 12:54PM
The Johnnies came back from a 72-63 deficit with 4:30 remaining to tie the score. Cimperman, who played on the St. John’s junior varsity before transferring to Hamline, made one of two free throws with 16.9 seconds left to give Hamline an 80-77 lead, but Blake Berg hit a three at the other end with five seconds left to make it 80-80.
The Pipers immediately inbounded the ball to Cimperman, who took three dribbles from one three-point line to the other, then twisted to get off a 25-foot three that went in as the buzzer sounded.
Cimperman finished with 26 points, making all four of his three-point attempts. Austin Holt added 24 for Hamline (17-10), who will play at Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday night, with the winner getting an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III tournament. Hamline’s only other appearance in the MIAC title game was in 1985.
Berg scored 28 points for the Johnnies (20-6).
Gustavus Adolphus 124, Carleton 116 (2OT): Brady Kienitz scored 30 points, Jonah Anderson hit a tying jumper at the end of regulation and the third-seeded Gusties (17-10) eventually outlasted the second-seeded Knights (17-9) in two overtimes.
Luke Harris scored 33 points, including a driving layup to tie the score near the end of the first OT for Carleton, which led 93-89 with 10 seconds left in regulation. Gustavus’ Adam Biewen hit a three-pointer with 3 seconds left, and after Miles Frisch made his first free throw but missed his second for Carleton, The Gusties were able to get the ball to Anderson for the tying shot.
MIAC women
Gustavus Adolphus 68, St. Benedict 45: Emma Kniefel had 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds and the top-seeded Gusties (24-2) rolled at home. Gustavus will play host to Concordia (Moorhead) on Saturday in the MIAC championship game; the Cobbers are the only conference team to have beaten the Gusties this season, winning at home 73-65 on Feb. 7.
Concordia (Moorhead) 80, St. Catherine 71: Makayla Anderson had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the host Cobbers (20-4), who have won seven games in a row.
Two offensive linemen from Lakeville, Bryce Benhart and Riley Mahlman, are standouts for Big Ten rivals of Minnesota.
