ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Morris (3-5, 1-2 UMAC) could not hang with the UMAC Preseason favorites, falling 91-79 to Northwestern (9-1, 3-0 UMAC). The Eagles rebounded from a rough shooting start to hand the Cougars their third straight loss.
Morris grabbed an early lead and held on to it for most of the first ten minutes of play. The Cougars were able to hold the Eagles to just 29.6 % shooting through the first 13 minutes of play, meanwhile Morris started 10-18 from the floor. Northwestern was able to stay with the Cougars despite their cold shooting start thanks to seven points off five turnovers.
The lead would change hands a few times before a three by UNW gave them their first two possession lead with 4:31 left. It was the first two possession lead for either team in the game. Northwestern finished the half on a 15-6 run to go up by 11 at the break.
Kevin Heysee had all six points for the Cougars during the run. The Eagles went 13-17 in the final seven minutes of play in the half.
UMM cut the UNW lead to six early in the second half but Northwestern had the answers to keep the Cougars at bay.
CD Douglas got the Northwestern lead down to five with a layup but the Eagles quickly pushed their lead back to double digits with 12:58 left.
Minnesota Morris got the deficit below double figures a couple more times in the half but could not fully track down the Eagles. Northwestern shot 57.1% in the second half making it tough for Morris to mount a comeback.
GAME NOTES: - Five Eagles scored in double figures, led by Michael Carney who had21.
- CD Douglas led UMM with 24 points, doing a lot of damage on the foul line.
- Morris was 16-18 at the foul line; ten makes came courtesy of Douglas.
- Joe Roggenbuck was 7-11 from the field and scored 14 points.
- John Haseman added 11 points.
- Kyle Ooms (UNW) was the only player to have double digit rebounds, finishing with 12.
- Northwestern held a 19-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
- Morris had 11 offensive rebounds but only turned them into five points.
