ST. PETER, Minn. — The first time the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's basketball team faced Gustavus this season, the Cardinals put an end to a 12-game losing streak against the Gusties, pulling out a thrilling 75-73 victory at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The end to a losing streak once again awaited the victor when the two teams met again Saturday at GAC's Gus Young Court.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, this time around it was the Gusties who would end their losing ways, snapping a season-high six-game losing streak with a 68-65 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory.
 
The Gusties got off to a quick start, grabbing their biggest lead of the half, 13-6, with 14 minutes to play. The Cardinals whittled the lead to one, 23-22 on the second of back-to-back 3-pointers by Aaron Romportl (Stillwater, Minn.).
 
Romportl would add another field goal—giving him eight unanswered points for the Cardinals—to get Saint Mary's within one again at 25-24 with 3:10 on the clock. The Gusties, however, scored eight of the final 12 points of the half to give GAC a five-point, 33-28 lead at the break.
 
The 15-minute intermission did nothing to cool off Romportl, who drained a pair of early 3-pointers to spark a 6-2 half-opening run and pull Saint Mary's within two, 38-36.
 
A pair of Wylie Ferron (Waconia, Minn.) free throws knotted the game at 40-40, but the Cardinals could not clear that final hurdle en route to their first lead since a 4-2 advantage three minutes into the game.
 
The Cardinals remained within striking distance, trailing by just two, 49-47 with 9:15 remaining in regulation, but the Gusties' offense found the right time to get hot, outscoring Saint Mary's 19-8 in those final nine minutes to seal the win.
 
Romportl finished with a team-high 19 points, knocking down five 3-pointers as part of his 7-for-12 showing from the field. Quashingm Smith-Pugh (St. Paul, Minn.) and Ferron each chipped in 10 points for the Cardinals, who went 19 of 46 from the field (43 percent) with seven 3-pointers and a 10-for-16 effort from the free throw line.
 
Gustavus, which shot 56 percent from the field (29-for-52) and added 13 of 23 free throws, put three players in double figures, led by Riley Sharbono with a game-high 20.
 
The Cardinals (3-10 MIAC, 5-12 overall) return home to the Saint Mary's Gym on Monday, hosting Macalester in a 7 p.m. MIAC matchup.