Notables
-First 4OT Game in program history (previous mark was 2)
-Anderson scores a career-high 36 points, including 31 points in the second half and OTs
-Northwestern ends CSS' season in the UMAC Championship game for the second straight season

---

 
ST. PAUL (csssaints.com) – In an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Tournament Championship game that took four overtimes to decide a winner, the St. Scholastica men's basketball team was defeated by the University of Northwestern (Minn.) 112-108 in an instant classic on Saturday night at the Ericksen Center.
 
Playing From Behind in Regulation
The Saints fell behind early as the Eagles scored the first seven points of the game and then opened up a 19-2 lead in the opening five minutes. From that point on the Saints were playing catchup.
 
The Northwestern lead climbed to as high as 21 and the margin only got as close as 12 in the first half as the Eagles led 42-28 at the break.
 
The Eagles maintained a double-digit lead for the first 13 minutes of the second half. The lead once again climbed to 17 on multiple occasions. However, a Collin Anderson (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) 3-pointer cut the lead to seven with six minutes remaining.
 
St. Scholastica continued to battle to get close, but the Eagles still led by nine with 1:26 remaining. A Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) layup made it a seven-point game with 1:11 left. After Northwestern went 1-of-2 from the free throw line, Anderson drained another 3-pointer to cut it to five with a minute to go.
 
Following a Northwestern turnover, Nate Weets (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet HS) connected on a 3-pointer to cut it to two. It remained a two-point game following an Eagle layup and then two free throws by Julius Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) with 18 seconds left. CSS would have a chance to tie following another Northwestern turnover, but could not convert sending the Eagles to the foul line with under 10 seconds to play.
 
The Eagles proceeded to miss both free throws and Johnson took it up the court and attacked the rim to drop in a layup to tie the game for the first time at 78-78. Northwestern's desperation heave was off the mark sending the game into overtime.
 
Saints Take First Lead in Overtime
An Anderson 3-pointer midway thru the first overtime gave the Saints their first lead of the night at 81-79. Northwestern responded with four straight points to regain the lead with one minute to go. Northwestern had possession with under 30 seconds remaining and a two-point lead, but Newman poked the ball away and the Saints were going for the win on the break as Anderson attempted a 3-pointer from the corner that rimmed out, but Zach Dahlman (Braham, Minn./Braham HS) grabbed the offensive rebound and got fouled. He would sink both free throws and Northwestern's game-winning shot attempt would be off the mark as we went to second overtime tied at 83-83
 
Triple OT Magic
After both teams only scored five points in the second overtime period to force a third overtime, Northwestern once again appeared to be on its way to victory, up by two, heading to the free throw line with six seconds remaining. However, the Eagles made only 1-of-2 from the line giving the Saints a shot. The ball would be in-bounded to Anderson who drove up the middle of the court, stopped and let one fly from the top of the key as the buzzer sounded. The ball went through the net to send the contest into a fourth overtime tied at 100-100.
 
Northwestern Closes It Out
A tired Saints squad would never lead in the fourth overtime, but that doesn't mean they didn't have a shot. The Saints trailed 110-108 with under 20 seconds remaining and had possession under the hoop. The ball would be inbounded and the Saints had a good look at a 3-pointer, but it would rim out. Northwestern grabbed the rebound and this time made both free throws to end St. Scholastica's magic 112-108.
 
Anderson's Night
Freshman Collin Anderson (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) had 18 of St. Scholastica's 30 points in the four overtimes combined. He finished with a game-high and career-high 36 points in 43 minutes of action and connected on seven 3-pointers. The 36 points are the most by a Saint since Derek Johnson scored 36 also at Northwestern in 2007.
 
Other Top Performances for CSS
Newman finished with 22 points, six assists and five rebounds. Weets had 13 points, Deadrick with 12, Johnson with 11 and Dahlman with 10. Deadrick also grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds.
 
Top Performances for the Opponent
Cody Sprenger and Will Gisler each had 26 points for the Eagles. Sprenger was named the tournament's most valuable player. Peter Maring had 23 points and a game-high 19 rebounds. Northwestern (20-7) clinches its seventh consecutive UMAC Tournament title.
 
End of Season
The Saints end with a 17-10 overall record. It marked the first time since the 1996-97 & 1997-98 seasons where CSS recorded at least 16 victories in back-to-back years. CSS will say goodbye to seniors Julius Johnson (Minneapolis, Minn./Henry Sibley HS), Kory Deadrick (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) and Tony Adamczak (Moose Lake, Minn./Moose Lake HS).
 
For future information on the St. Scholastica men's basketball program, keep checking csssaints.com.