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Box Score

St. Paul, Minn. – The Minnesota Morris men's basketball team ran into the only team that's been hotter than them in recent weeks, and host Northwestern stayed hot today (Feb. 12), winning 78-62.

The Cougars (12-11, 8-4 UMAC) trailed 47-25 at the break and could never get closer than 14 in the second half. The Eagles (17-6, 11-1 UMAC), meanwhile, clinch the 2010-11 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championship with the win.

Morris remains in second place in the league standings, but falls into a tie with Bethany Lutheran as each sports and 8-4 league mark.

The Eagles showed they were in a groove early, and controlled the game all night. They shot 53% (20-of-38) in the first half, including a 46% (5-of-11) mark from long range, before cooling off slightly to end the game 50% (33-of-66) from the field. 
 
The Cougars' Eric Dalbey (Mora, Minn.) opened the game with a three, but the Eagles answered with seven straight, and by the 14:11 mark were up 10 at 17-7. Morris was able to get back within five, first on a Brendon Foss (Hancock, Minn.) free throw at 11:27, and again when a Ben Hoidal (Forest Lake, Minn.) jumper at 10:40 made it 19-14.

From there though, the Eagles went on a 24-to-4 run to take a 25-point lead after a Wade Chitwood three at the 3:03 mark.

Foss finished the game as the Cougars' leading scorer after a career high 17. Derek Schmidt (East Grand Forks, Minn.) was the only other Cougar in double figures as he finished with 13, as well as 11 boards for his second double-double in three games.

The loss is the third in the Cougars last four road games, after they closed the home schedule with seven straight wins.

All is not lost, though, as Morris is still in control for a home playoff game when the UMAC Tournament opens on Feb. 23. Although they're tied for second with Bethany Lutheran, the Cougars own the tiebreaker with two wins over the Vikings this season. Therefore with two wins in the season's final weekend the Cougars can clinch the No. 2 seed in the tournament and return home for the first round of the playoffs.

Next week's schedule features two teams that Morris beat just three weeks ago on Jim Gremmels  Court. On Feb. 18 they take on St. Scholastica, before closing out the regular season at Northland on Feb. 19.