Notables:-Andrew Laughlin (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS) led the Saints with 18 points and seven boards.-
Nathan Carlson (Alvarado, Minn./East Grand Forks HS) added 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench for CSS.
-Jordan Harrell registed a double-doubles with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Rams.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team lost a close battle with the North Central University Rams 65-59 on Friday night.
The Saints started the game with a steady lead for the first four minutes before the Rams began fighting back hard. The Saints held onto a one-point lead for just under the first five minutes of the game. North Central took its first lead with under 15 minutes remaining in the first half. The two teams traded leads back and forth until about three minutes remained in the first half when North Central went on a five-point run with a 3-pointer and two free throws to give them a four-point lead. The first half ended with a 29-28 score in favore of the Rams.
The Rams were up by six on the Saints early in the second half before the Saints rallied back about five minutes into the half to even the score at 36 apiece. CSS regained the lead with just under 13 minutes remaining in the game. North Central then took its largest lead on an eight-point run consisting of two 3-pointers and two free throws. The Saints got within four points of the Rams twice with under a minute left in play but were just unable to top their opponents.
CSS shot 39 percent from the floor as a team and 25 percent from beyond the arc.
Andrew Laughlin (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS) led Saints scoring with 18 points. He also tallied seven rebounds.
Nathan Carlson (Alvarado, Minn./East Grand Forks HS) was hot off the bench for St. Scholastica with 12 points and nine rebounds. He went 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. As a team, the Saints shot 12-for-16 from the free throw line.
Leading the Rams was Josh High with 14 points and right behind him were teammates Travis Voigt with 12 points and Luke Chafin with 11 points. North Central shot 40 percent from the field and 36 percent on 3-pointers. The team also went 15-for-26 from the free throw line.
The Saints will hit the court again Saturday in St. Paul against Northwestern. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m.
