NEW ULM — The New Ulm Eagles boys basketball team is normally a good 3-point shooting team.

But Saturday night, a 1-for-15 performance from beyond the arc in the first half put them in a 32-21 halftime deficit they failed to overcome in a 75-62 loss to St. Peter in a Big South Conference game.

Owen Potts led St. Peter (12-4, 7-2) with a game-high 23 points.

Mitchell Hopp led New Ulm (7-8, 4-7) with 13 points. Levi Hopp added 12 and Joey Weiss had 11.

“We held them to 31 points in the first half and we were happy with that,” New Ulm head coach Michael Poncelet said. “And we normally score 40 points in a half and we have been pretty consistent with that. But it was that hole that we dug in the first half — we normally have guys shooting 40 percent. But it was that 21 (points) that we put up in the first half. We had great shots.”

The Eagles, who never led in the game, fell behind 12-2 before Weiss canned the first 3 of the game after New Ulm had missed its first four.

St. Peter increased its lead to 22-13 and then 27-19 before two free throws from Finley Olson gave them that 10-point lead at half.

“Their defense was good, but some of our shots were wide-open looks,” Poncelet said. “And is was not just the 3-point shooting, but we missed a bunch of shots around the rim.”

The Eagles, who play at Belle Plaine Tuesday, tried to get back into the game with the 3 as Mitchell Hopp canned two straight to cut the lead to 35-31.

St. Peter outscored New Ulm 16-9 in a run with all of the Eagles’ point coming on 3s from Mitchell Hopp and two from Weiss.

The Saints increased their lead to 66-53 on free throws and then 79-57.

The Eagles did shoot the 3 better in the second half, making 7 of 14, but it was too little, too late.

“We scored 41 in the second half,” Poncelet said. “That is our average.”

Poncelet said that their game Tuesday at Belle Plaine will be tough.

“Right now they are on top of the conference and we took a step with our defense tonight,” he said.