MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris men's basketball team fell to North Central University 89-78 Wednesday night in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play in Minneapolis, Minn.
 
The Rams are now tied for first in the conference with the Cougars at 6-3. NCU improves to 8-14 overall, while UMM falls to 11-11.
 
Kaden Pieper stole a pass and dunked it for the first points of the game for UMM. Gustav Gunderson matched an NCU three-pointer with one of his own to keep the score tied. Gunderson drove to the hoop for two to give UMM its first lead of the game. A five-point run by North Central swung the lead back to the Rams. Carvin Fish ended the rally with a basket in the paint.
 
The NCU lead grew to seven before LeRoy Staples-Fairbanks IV connected on a long two. Pieper followed with a triple to trim the advantage. Thomas Tiernan brought the lead down to one with a three-ball. The teams traded threes, with Tiernan converting again. The Cougars took the lead at 26-25 on a layup from Gunderson. North Central responded with three straight three-pointers to regain the lead and extend it to 36-28. Fish ended the run with a pair of free throws. The teams traded points to close the half, with NCU taking a 43-36 lead into the break.
 
Following an NCU basket to start the second half, Fish used a spin move and finished for two. Pieper hit a three-pointer, but North Central answered on the other end. Points from Staples-Fairbanks and Fish cut the lead to three. After another run by NCU, Ian Fahje scored in the paint to make it a four-point game, with Tiernan scoring on the following possession. With 10 minutes remaining, the Rams extended their lead to nine. A three-pointer by North Central pushed the advantage to double digits.
 
Minnesota Morris, led by Fish, began to chip away at the deficit, but NCU had an answer each time down the floor. Tiernan completed a rare four-point play to pull within five with less than five minutes remaining. With just over two minutes left, the Cougars trailed by six. The Rams held on for an 89-78 victory.
 
Fish led the Cougars with 28 points, marking his 15th game with 20 or more points this season. The team shot 47.7 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from behind the arc, and 10-for-15 at the free throw line. Pieper added 16 points, and Tiernan finished with 12. Gunderson led the team with four assists.
 
 
Fish finished one rebound shy of a double-double with nine boards. The Rams narrowly outrebounded the Cougars 32-31. Pieper led the team with two steals. It marked just the second game this season in which Minnesota Morris did not record a block.
 
The Cougars return home Saturday to host Martin Luther College at 2:45 p.m. for their final home game of the regular season.