MORRIS, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Morris men's basketball team has earned a trip to the postseason after defeating Martin Luther College 88-72 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon in Morris, Minn.
 
The Cougars improve to 12-11 overall and sit in first place in the UMAC at 7-3, while the Knights drop to 11-13 overall and 5-6 in conference play.
 


Before the game five seniors were recognized for their time and dedication for senior day: Gustav Gunderson, Samuel Daho, Thomas Tiernan, LeRoy Staples-Fairbanks IV, and Matt Thompson.

Staples-Fairbanks answered an MLC layup with a three-pointer to give the Cougars their first lead of the game. Gunderson followed with a three of his own. The lead grew to six after Carvin Fish and Gunderson scored in the paint. The Cougars held the edge by answering MLC's baskets. Brian LaRoche Jr. got on the board with a triple, and Fish pushed the advantage to eight with another layup. Tiernan and LaRoche stayed hot from distance, giving UMM a seven-point lead after 10 minutes.
 
A 13-point MLC run swung the lead back in favor of the Knights with just over six minutes remaining in the half. Fish ended the rally with a basket in the paint. Three-pointers from Tiernan and Thompson put UMM back on top. Fish scored the final four points of the half to give Minnesota Morris a 43-39 lead at the break.
 
Staples-Fairbanks connected from deep for the first UMM points of the second half. Fish started a Cougar run, with Kaden Pieper capping it off from behind the arc to extend the lead to double digits. Whenever MLC scored, the Cougars answered, with Pieper and Staples-Fairbanks scoring midway through the half. A short run by the Knights cut the deficit to five with under 12 minutes left. Thompson scored eight points during a 10-point UMM rally to create separation. Tiernan connected from deep for the third time to maintain the edge.
 
Late in the game, Daho knocked down a three-pointer to score on Senior Day. The final points for UMM came on a layup by Ian Fahje after Makhi Winter found him down low as the Cougars secured the 88-72 victory.
 
Five Cougars scored in double figures in the win, led by Fish with 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting. As a team, UMM shot 47.1 percent from the field, 48.3 percent from behind the arc, and 8-of-12 at the free-throw line. Also reaching double digits were Staples-Fairbanks (13), Pieper (11), Thompson (11), and LaRoche Jr. (10). Pieper and LaRoche Jr. led the team with four assists each.
 
Defensively, Pieper recorded a career-high 15 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. LaRoche Jr. and Thompson followed with five rebounds apiece. As a team, UMM outrebounded MLC 47-38, including 15 offensive boards. Tiernan had a team-high two steals, while Pieper, Fish, and Tiernan each recorded a block.
 
The Cougars enter the final week of the regular season as they travel to Bethany Lutheran College on Wednesday for a 7:15 p.m. tipoff.