BEMIDJI, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris men's basketball team picked up its first win of the 2025–26 season, defeating Oak Hills Christian College, 70–61, Monday night in Bemidji, Minn.
 
The Cougars improved to 1–4, while the Wolfpack dropped to 0–3.
 
Matt Thompson opened the game with a three-pointer to give the Cougars an early lead. Nearly three minutes passed before the next basket, as Oak Hills tied the game and later built a seven-point advantage. Jase Nelson ended the scoring drought with a layup assisted by Kaden Pieper. On the following possession, Pieper stole the ball and scored to pull the Cougars within one. The Wolfpack pushed the lead back to eight with five unanswered points before Johnny Tong stopped the run with his first basket of the night. Late in the half, Pieper knocked down a three to give UMM the lead, but Oak Hills responded with six straight points. LeRoy Staples-Fairbanks IV scored the next four to keep the Cougars close, and in the final minute, Pieper tied the game with a layup, sending the teams into halftime knotted at 23–23.
 
The Cougars came out firing in the second half, scoring the first 16 points, beginning with a Nelson layup. Thompson contributed five points during the run, Nelson added four, and Pieper scored the other seven. UMM held a double-digit lead entering the final 10 minutes, with Tong maintaining the advantage at 13 points. Oak Hills trimmed the deficit to single digits in the final eight minutes, but a Thompson dunk pushed the lead to 53–42. Each time the Wolfpack scored, the Cougars had an answer. In the final five minutes, Minnesota Morris put together a six-point burst with points from Pieper, Thompson, and Nelson, ultimately sealing the 70–61 victory.
 
Pieper led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Thompson added 18 points, and Nelson also reached double figures with 10. Pieper, Nelson, and Staples-Fairbanks each recorded a team-high two assists.
Defensively, behind Pieper's 11 boards, Thomas Tiernan and Staples-Fairbanks grabbed seven rebounds apiece, while Nelson and Thompson collected six. Pieper recorded four steals, and Jang Dak tallied the team's two blocks.
 
The Cougars continue their road trip tomorrow (Tuesday) with a 7:30 p.m. matchup against Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, N.D.