MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris men's basketball team rallied back to defeat Martin Luther College, 88-81, in a nonconference game Monday night in Morris, Minn. Sophomore Carvin Fish paced the Cougars with 32 points in the comeback win.
 
The Cougars improve to 3-5 overall while the Knights fall to 2-5.
 
"We had a tough time getting going in the first half, credit to MLC coming out of the gates ready to go," said associate coach Taylor Holleman. "Really proud of our response out of halftime and playing Cougar Basketball."
 
Points were traded early, with Fish and Kaden Pieper getting on the board for UMM. Martin Luther went on a 10-2 run to create some separation. In the first six minutes, MLC pushed the lead to double digits at 21-9, forcing a Cougar timeout.
 
Out of the timeout, Jang Dak forced a turnover and Jase Nelson found him for a transition dunk. Ian Fahje brought the lead down to single digits after going 2-for-2 at the line. Fish scored in the paint to start an eight-point Cougar run, with LeRoy Staples-Fairbanks IV and Matt Thompson adding buckets to pull within five.
 
In the final five minutes, Thompson connected from behind the arc, followed by a Pieper dunk to make it 32-30. The Knights closed out the half on a 14-4 run to take a 46-34 halftime lead.
 
Minnesota Morris came out firing in the second half, using a 14-3 run to quickly erase the deficit. Fish, Pieper, and Thompson fueled the surge, and Fish capped it off with a three-pointer. Gustav Gunderson scored in the paint, followed by Nelson, to give UMM its first lead of the game with under 13 minutes remaining.
 
The lead changed hands 11 times over the next seven minutes. Each time the Knights hit a three-pointer, the Cougars answered with one of their own. Pieper gave UMM its first two-possession lead after hitting from deep, but MLC responded with five straight points. Gunderson ended the run with a pair of free throws to put the Cougars back on top.
 
With three minutes left, MLC regained the lead at 73-72, but it was short-lived as Fish knocked down two free throws. Thompson added to the advantage with a three-pointer, and a minute later Gunderson drove in for an open layup to make it 81-74. The Cougars sank their free throws down the stretch to secure the 88-81 victory.
 
Fish had a career night with 32 points, setting a new personal best. The sophomore forward shot 11-of-13 from the field, 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-9 at the free throw line. Thompson and Pieper followed with 18 and 15 points, respectively. Gunderson led the team with eight assists.
 
Defensively, Thompson recorded his third double-double of the season with 10 rebounds. Fish added seven boards, including three on the offensive end, and led the team with three steals. Both Thompson and Fish recorded a block in the win.
 
The Cougars return to action tomorrow (Tuesday) as they travel to Gustavus Adolphus College for a 7 p.m. tipoff.