Box Score ABERDEEN, S.D. – In another close game, the Cougars (6-5) fell 56-53 to Presentation on Tuesday night. It was a tough shooting night for Morris, who finished just 3-14 from three. Their defense kept them in the game holding the Saints to just 17-56 shooting on the night. Presentation took advantage from the foul like shooting 17-21 from the stripe compared to 10-17 for UMM.
 
It was a slow start for both teams; the score was tied at four after five minutes of play. It would take over ten minutes for either team to score ten points, the Saints took a four point lead, 10-6 at the 9:29 mark of the first half. Morris tied the game at ten with a field goal from Reller with fewer than nine minutes to play in the half. Presentation never relinquished the lead for the rest of the half but Morris did end the half on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 20-19 at the break.
 
The Saints held an 11-2 advantage in bench points in the first twenty minutes of play.
 
RJ Dean gave the Cougars the lead on their first possession of the second half. Brendon Foss followed up with a basket to put UMM three, their largest lead of the game up to that point. Morris continued the run and held a 31-22 lead after Cody Emrick knocked down a shot with 14:24 left. Presentation quickly cut that lead to two but UMM kept a small edge through the opening 11 minutes of play in the second half. Presentation took their first lead of the second half after a 5-0 run by Damian Salais. The lead for the Saints would grow to six at 46-40 with 6:29 left. Morris cut the lead to one possession on multiple occasions but did not take a lead until Neil Helgeson hit a jumper with under a minute left giving UMM a 53-52 lead. With just over a half minute left the Saints hit a pair of free throws giving Presentation the lead back. Morris missed a shot on their next possession and after the Saints converted a pair of free throws a last second three pointer was off the mark and Saints held on for a 56-53 win.
 
Foss had a double-double on the night with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Dean had 11 points and Tyler Pendleton added nine. Neil Helgeson had seven points off the bench.
 
Morris will be back in action Saturday at 5 p.m. at Crown College.