Ryan Thissen shot 56 percent (14-for-25) from the field and averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals as Saint John's opened its 2021-22 season with a pair of wins at UW-Superior's Merrill Thompson Classic last weekend. He went 7-of-12 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range, and scored 19 points in Friday's 85-67 victory over UW-River Falls. He followed that with 18 points and eight rebounds in Saturday's 67-45 win over the host Yellowjackets for the tournament title.