Notables
-Newman hits 1,000 career points
-Dahlman records first career double-double.
-Fifth straight win for CSS
-CSS had 20 points off turnovers
MINNEAPOLIS (
csssaints.com) --- Despite playing with only eight players most of the game, the St. Scholastica men's basketball team used a strong second half to defeat North Central University (Minn.) by a score of 75-54 on Wednesday.
First Half
The Saints were without the services of
Joe Stark (Hayward, Wis./Hayward HS),
Collin Anderson (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) and
Connor Gray (Superior, Wis./Superior HS) for tonight's game and the Rams (6-12, 3-7 UMAC) started quickly, earning a seven-point lead five minutes into the half with a score of 9-2. The Saints responded by going on a 16-9 run to tie the game at 20-20.
Sam Thompson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) drained three-pointers on back-to-back possessions and
Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) added another three-pointer as North Central would not recapture the lead.
CSS headed into halftime with a four-point lead.
Dylan Zimmerman (Elmdale, Minn./Upsala HS) had 11 points in the opening 20 minutes
Saints Start to Pull Ahead
CSS opened the second half with an eight-point run, earning a 12-point lead as the score stood at 45-33.
The teams traded baskets until the seven minute mark, when the Saints went on a 12-point run to increase their lead to 23, their largest of the game. During that run,
Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) had four points, which put him over 1,000 for his career. He is the 11th player in program history record 1,000 points in a career. North Central cut the Saints' lead down to 19 after a pair of free throws and a layup, before
Nate Weets (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet HS) added a pair of free throws for CSS to increase its lead to 21.
The Rams made a 3-pointer with just under a minute remaining, but
Spencer Viita (Cook, Minn./North Woods HS) added a 3-pointer for the Saints to make the final score 75-54.
Top Performers for CSS
Dahlman led the Saints in scoring with 17, including 13 in the second half. He also grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. Thompson had 14 points, Zimmerman finished with 13 and Newman recorded 10. Newman also had seven assists.
Top Performers for the Opponent
Jared High put up 18 points for the Rams while Joel Cline put up 14 and AJ McGrew had 11.
Up Next
The Saints (11-7, 7-3 UMAC) return to action on Saturday at the Reif where they will face off against the University of Minnesota Morris on Alumni Day. Action is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
