WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – The Northland College Men's Basketball team fell in its final non-conference game of the season 137-75 to Grinnell College Monday afternoon in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Damian Cejka and Jahlani Thornton both set career-highs with 22 and 20 points respectively.
 
The Pioneers play fast, leading to their Division III leading 119.2 points per game. Northland matched the pace to start the game with Cejka and Stephen Kesti scoring in the paint. Soon after Cejka would give the Jacks the lead with the team's first three-pointer. That was answered quickly with a three from Grinnell and then scored the next five to go up six. Baskets by Hayden Harmoning and Cejka kept the lead within single figures. With 11 left in the half, Ian McFaggen scored his first point on a three-ball keeping GC in range. The Pioneers ballooned their lead to 24 after a 16-to-2 run in under two minutes. Thornton had the final four points for NC after going 4-for-4 at the line.
 
Thornton picked up where he left off scoring in the paint after with Cejka assisting on the basket. Northland soon went on its largest run of the game starting with a two-point jumper by Ari Pierson. Thornton then makes a layup followed by back-to-back threes from Cejka to cap off a 10-point run. With seven minutes remaining, Aveion Cavitt got on the scorer's sheet after making his free throws. Gavin Bartlett connected from behind the arc for his first points. Just like how the first half ended Thornton had the final bucket of the game.
 
Cejka paced the Jacks with 22 points in the game, a career-high, with nine of his points coming from the free-throw line. He ended the game shooting 5-for-9 from the field, and 3-of-5 for three. Thornton also set a career-high with 20 points, shooting 8-of-14 from the floor, and was a perfect 4-of-4 at the line. Ryan Ehlert rounded out the top three in scoring with eight. The LumberJacks had a season-high 20 assists with Harmoning pacing the team with four. Kesti led the team with eight rebounds, two offensive and six defensive.
 
The Jacks start Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play on Jan. 8, when they host Crown College at 5:30 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.