NEW ULM, Minn. – Despite a tough loss last weekend to Crown College, the University of Northwestern Men's Basketball team hoped to regroup with a week off from competition before resuming UMAC play by traveling to Martin Luther College, whom the Eagles had already defeated handily earlier this month. But the Luther Student Center is among the most difficult places in the conference to play, and Saturday was no exception. The Knights took the lead at the 10-minute mark of the first half and never gave it up, cruising to an 89-72 win despite
Japheth Nyamari (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) scoring 30 points on 13-17 shooting. With the result, both teams are 3-4 in the UMAC and tied for fifth place.
UNW got off to a tremendous start; Nyamari scored its first eight points and
Jacob Hoefs (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista) followed with the next four as the Eagles took a 12-7 lead. After MLC briefly took the lead,
Noah Frazell (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock) drilled a three-pointer to put Northwestern back on top, 17-16. Unfortunately, that would be the final lead
Tim Grosz's squad would hold in the game. Martin Luther scored the next 15 points to seize control of the game, and the Eagles were never able to get within single digits.
AJ Greene (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) ended the scoring avalanche with one of his two first-half jumpers, and Frazell knocked down two more threes before the end of the half, but the Knights held a 48-35 advantage at the break.
Ben Tschida (Andover, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy) buried a pair of three-pointers early in the second half, each trimming the deficit to 10, but the theme of the day was MLC having an answer every time UNW looked prepared to make a run. They did so largely because of a 43-27 advantage on the glass, including 11-7 offensively. A
Will Foster (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) layup, followed by consecutive Nyamari buckets, once again made the margin 10 with 12:18 remaining, but every Northwestern basket from then on was answered with one from Martin Luther. After a Greene jump shot with 11:35 to play, Nyamari and Hoefs scored the final 15 points for the Eagles. An 8-0 run over three minutes put the final nail in the coffin and gave the Knights an 89-72 home win.
Nyamari's 30-point, six-rebound, two-steal effort was his fourth outing of 30+ points this season and his second in UMAC play. Hoefs followed suit with 15 points, seven boards and a pair of steals, while Frazell contributed 11 points, four rebounds and two assists. Tschida and Greene each scored six points, adding four boards and two assists, respectively.
Northwestern will next be in action Wednesday night against UW-Superior, whom the Eagles defeated in a tight, 69-68 contest in their first meeting this season. Tip-off in the Ericksen Center is scheduled for 7:15 PM, following the conclusion of the women's game.
