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Morris, Minn. – The Minnesota Morris men's basketball team never trailed tonight (Jan. 28) in posting their most lopsided win of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) season with an 89-51 victory over visiting Northland.
Eric Dalbey (Mora, Minn.) nailed a three on the Cougars first possession and they never looked back. Minnesota Morris (8-9, 4-2 UMAC) drained a season high nine three-pointers – four from Dalbey – on the night, while shooting 51% (34-of-67) from the floor. Every player in uniform played at least 10 minutes, with every player also scoring.
Northland (3-14, 1-5 UMAC) drops their fifth straight and their 10th in the last 11 games. They were led by Eric Krall on the night with just 11 points, and he was their only player in double figures. The Jacks shot well in the first half, hitting 48% (12-of-25) of their shots, but hit on just 33% (10-of-30) in the second.
For a team that has had trouble starting at times this season, tonight was proof of what the Cougars can do with a good start.
"We started out and came out with intensity for the first time in a long time and we just kind of buried them right away," Dalbey said. "They were missing one of their really good players, but we played them real tough, just played well and kept going. Then the subs came in and did the same thing and got the W."
By the 11:58 mark they were already up by double-digits after a pair of Dalbey free throws made it 24-13. Then a Ben Hoidal (Forest Lake, Minn.) three put the Cougars up 20 at the 3:28 mark, and after a Brendon Foss (Hancock, Minn.) jumper in the final minute they took a 23-point lead into the locker room at 51-28.
The 51 points were the most put up in a half by the Cougars since the season opener, but were the most on Jim Gremmels Court, where they have now won three straight and four of their past five.
After roaring past the half-century mark in the first period, the Cougars pushed their lead up to 30 just eight minutes into the second, when Hoidal sank a pair free throws to make it 68-38 at the 12:00 mark. The Cougars finished 12-of-17 at the line on the night, compared to just 4-of-7 for the LumberJacks as UMM committed a season low nine fouls all night.
From there the starters got a well deserved rest, as the reserves played out the string. Despite the chance in personnel, the results were much the same, as the lead continued to grow finished at its widest after four straight Evan Reller (Melrose, Minn.) points to close the game. The Cougar bench scored 26 total points in the night, including a career high tying 10 from Reller.
It was not just scoring, however, as the Cougars controlled both ends of the floor, pulling down 44 rebounds on the night while limiting the LumberJacks to 24. The +20 margin on the boards was the Cougars' best in UMAC play, and second best on the season behind only their +21 margin from Tuesday night against Trinity Bible.
UMM will now set its sights on St. Scholastica, who visits the P.E. Center tomorrow for a 5:00 p.m. tilt. The game will be a much-anticipated rematch of last season's UMAC Championship game, where the Cougars topped the Saints 83-49 on the same floor.
After tonight, the Cougars and Saints sit tied in the league standings with identical 4-2 records, and will cap off the first trip through the conference with a chance to create some separation at the top.
