WINONA, Minn. – The Northland College Men's Basketball team was defeated 66-81 at St. Mary's University Wednesday evening in Winona, Minn., in non-conference action.
 
Northland could not connect to start the game, going 0-for-9. Tyler Tuura made the first basket for the Jacks seven minutes in. However, St. Mary's was slow to start as well, only scoring five in the span. Tuura scored again from under the basket for the next points as well. After nine minutes of action, the score was 12-4 in favor of the Cardinals. The Jacks struggled from deep starting 0-for-8 from behind the arc.
 
Tuura continued to find success in the paint, scoring after a behind-the-back pass from Iansan Simpson. SMU added to the lead with a three-pointer. Stephen Kesti was the next scorer after going 1-for-2 at the line. Three straight triples had the Cardinals up 17 with just under nine minutes remaining. Ari Pierson as the shot clock was expiring scored his first bucket. With just over five minutes in the half, the Jacks finally surpassed double figures with Damian Cejka deep-two. The next six points of the game from the free throw line for the Jacks as they cut the lead to 10.
 
Despite only shooting 30 percent from the field and going 0-for-9 from deep with 15 turnovers, Northland trailed 24-35 at the half. Tuura paced the LumberJacks after coming off the bench with nine points. Most of the damage was done from the free throw line for NC going 12-of-14.
 
Jahlani Thornton had the first basket of the half to cut the lead to single digits for the first time since 15-7. Cejka completed a three-point play to cut the lead to eight but soon after St. Mary's grew the advantage to 15. Donovan Washington hit the first three-pointer for the Jacks after 25 minutes of action. Soon after Gavin Bartlett hit a three to keep the lead at 12. Both teams traded threes with the Cardinals holding onto their double-digit advantage.
 
Northland scored six in a row from a three-point play from Thornton and another three-pointer from Cejka brought the SMU advantage to 10. After being held without a three-pointer in the first half the Jacks went 6-for-9 from deep in the first 11 minutes of the second half. With over six minutes the Cardinals were up 18. The Jacks were unable to get the score within 10 and fell 66-81.
 
Cejka led the team offensively and defensively, with 15 points and eight rebounds. Thornton and Simpson also reached double figures for NC with 13 and 10 points respectively. Pierson paced the Jacks with a pair of assists and Washington had a team-high two steals.
 
The Jacks host the University of Wisconsin-Stout in their next game on Dec. 11 at 7 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.