MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota Morris men's basketball team battled back from a large early deficit on Saturday evening, but North Central University used 40 points from Micah Filer to fend off the challenge and earn an 84-77 victory over the Cougars. UMN Morris falls to 8-13 (3-7 UMAC) with the loss.
Fittingly, it was a three-pointer from Filer that started the scoring 15 seconds into the game and he made two more in short order, putting the Rams up, 18-5, and then again at 25-9 with seven minutes gone in the game. Minnesota Morris wasn't going anywhere, putting together a 10-0 run later in the half that cut the NCU advantage down to just two, 31-29.
After another three from Filer put North Central ahead, 36-32, Minnesota Morris tied the game and then took the lead for the first time as
Will McBee and
Dillon Haider connected on two free throws apiece, followed by a jumper from
Jaret Johnson that put the Cougars ahead, 38-36. Filer made sure that lead was short-lived, hitting a three-pointer on the next possession to cap a 23-point opening half. The Rams would then take a 43-40 edge into halftime.
The second half turned into a duel between Filer and
Noah Kannegiesser. The UMN Morris junior didn't score in the first half, but ended with 20. After North Central had taken an 11-point lead, back-to-back threes from Kannegiesser midway through the second half were part of a large run for the Cougars that brought them back within two, 63-61. Nearing the seven-minute mark of the second half,
Ian Carlin tied the game with a short jumper and Kannegiesser put the Cougars back ahead with a three-pointer, making it 70-67.
A 72-70 advantage for Minnesota Morris proved to be the final lead of the night. Justin Castro gave North Central the lead back with six minutes left to start an 8-0 run while the Cougars went scoreless for for more than four minutes before Kannegiesser got them back on the board with 1:44 left. Kannegiesser then knocked down a triple with one minute left to make it a one-possession game, 80-77, only to see Filer ice the game at the line with four makes in the final seconds.
Kannegiesser was the high scorer on the night for the Cougars. Johnson finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. Off the bench, Haider and McBee finished with 10 points each.
Minnesota Morris wraps up a six-game road trip next weekend with two more games away from Jim Gremmels Court. First up on Friday night is a 7:15 p.m. tip at Martin Luther College in New Ulm.
