Notables
-CSS went on a 17-0 run late in the second half
-Saints score at least 50 in a half for the fifth time this season
-Bench Points: CSS 41, UNW 10
-Second Chance Points: CSS 19, UNW 6

---

 
ST. PAUL (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team handed the University of Northwestern its second conference loss of the season on Friday night with an 81-74 triumph in a game pitting two first place Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) squads at the Ericksen Center.
 
First Half
Action in the first half featured six ties and six lead changes. However, the Eagles led for a majority of the half. The Saints led by as much as three following a Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) free throw, but a Northwestern 10-2 run gave the Eagles a five-point lead. Northwestern led by as much as six until Julius Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) drained a jumper just before the half to make it 34-30 Northwestern at the break.
 
The Eagles shot 46 percent in the half, while the Saints were held to 38 percent. CSS was also just 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. The Saints had an 8-0 edge in second-chance points in the half.
 
Second Half Run
An Andrew Laughlin (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS) layup tied the game at 42-42 with about 15 minutes remaining. However, the Eagles once again responded with a 10-2 run for its largest lead of the game 52-44 with 12 minutes to go.
 
The margin remained eight at 60-52 with 8:14 to go and that is when the Saints took over scoring the next 17 points of the game to turn an eight-point deficit into a 69-60 lead with 3:32 to go. During the run, Newman had nine of the 17 points.
 
Northwestern would only get as close as six the rest of the way as the Saints came from behind for the 81-74 victory.
 
The St. Scholastica bench had a 25-3 scoring advantage in the second half. The Saints shot 57 percent from the floor in the half and was 18-for-24 from the free throw line. Northwestern was not too bad from the floor in the half at 48 percent, but were out-rebounded 23-8.
 
Top Performances for CSS
Andrew Laughlin (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Central HS) had 19 points off the bench, including 13 in the second half, to lead the Saints. Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) added 16 points with 12 points coming in the second half. Jake Naslund (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) also came off the bench and scored 11 points.
 
Top Performances for UNW
Porter Morrell had 23 points to lead the Eagles. Michael Carney added 17 points and Cody Sprenger chipped in 10 points.
 
Up Next
The Saints (9-5, 5-1 UMAC) will take on North Central University in Minneapolis tomorrow in another UMAC showdown between first place teams. Tip time scheduled for 3 p.m.