Notables
-Best start in program history
-CSS has shot over 50% from the floor in five of seven games this season
-Three straight 20-point games for Silgen
-Free throws made: CSS-20, NCU-6
MINNEAPOLIS (
csssaints.com) – In a matchup of conference unbeatens Thursday night, the St. Scholastica men's basketball team held off a late charge from North Central University (Minn.) to remain undefeated by a final of 84-78.
How It Happened
The Saints got three straight buckets from
Nick Carlson (Canyon, Minn./South Ridge HS),
Jack Silgen (Deerwood, Minn./Crosby-Ironton HS (St. Thomas)) and
Quinn Fischer (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) to open up an early six-point advantage. The Rams (8-6, 5-1 UMAC) hung around for much of the first half, but the Saints maintained a lead. St. Scholastica had its biggest lead of the half at halftime as a
Connor Bich (Duluth, Minn./Hermantown HS (Dakota Wesleyan)) 3-pointer followed by a
Jarod Wilken (Annandale, Minn./Annandale HS) layup at the end of the half gave the Saints a 41-31 lead.
CSS opened the second half scoring 10 of the first 14 points with Silgen contributing seven points during that stretch to extend its lead to 16. The Saints led 63-48 with 12 minutes remaining, but the Rams responded with a quick 9-0 run to cut the lead to six with 10 minutes to go.
Later in the half, North Central went on an 11-0 run to tie the game at 68-68 with five minutes left. A jumper with 4:30 on the clock gave the Rams their first lead since it was 4-3 early in the game. However, after that basket, the Saints scored the next nine points to regain the lead at 79-72 with two minutes to go. The CSS defense forced two turnovers and held the Rams to only one field goal attempt during that two-and-a-half-minute stretch.
St. Scholastica proceeded to make enough free throws in the final minute to hold off the Rams and win 84-78.
Top Performers
Carlson and Silgen each scored 21 to pace the offense for the Saints. Silgen scored 13 of his 21 in the second half and nearly had a double-double, grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Fischer added 14 points with 11 coming in the first half.
Micah Filer led six Rams in double figures with 15 points.
Up Next
The Saints (7-0, 6-0 UMAC) will be at Bethany Lutheran College on Saturday with action scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
