ASHLAND, Wis. – The Northland College Men's Basketball team falls in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play to Martin Luther College 78-65 Friday night in Ashland, Wis.
 
The start of the game was a low-scoring affair with the teams combining for 10 points in the first five minutes. Jahlani Thornton and Jaden Jones had the first two baskets. The Knights pulled to a double-digit point lead. Northland and Martin Luther traded points for the rest of the half with MLC up 24-38. In the first half, the Jacks shot 41.7 percent from the floor but 16 turnovers resulted in the double-figure lead for the Knights.
 
To start the second half the Jacks matched the pace of the Knights with the lead spanning from 14-10 points. Damian Cejka knocked down a three and on the following trip, Stephen Kesti made his first three of the season to pull within eight. The Knights responded with a seven-point run. The Jacks could not string together large runs to regain the lead and fell 78-65.
 
Cejka made his second start of the season and led the team with a career-high 17 points. Jordan Brennan, Langston Flowers, and Jones finished behind him all with 10 points. Northland had eight assists with Brennan leading the way with five.
 
Northland outrebounded Martin Luther 30-to-25. Kesti had a career-high 11 rebounds and was two points shy of a double-double. Thornton was behind him with eight. The Jacks had a season-high 10 blocks with Kesti sending four shots back. Flowers had a multiple-block game with two.
 
The Jacks host Bethany Lutheran College tomorrow (Saturday) at 4:45 p.m.
 
Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, Midwest Lacrosse Conference, and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.