ASHLAND, Wis. – The Northland College Men's Basketball team was defeated 91-73 by the University of Minnesota Morris in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon in Ashland, Wis.
 
Stephen Kesti started off strong for the Jacks with the game's first basket and then a recorded block less than a minute later. However, the Cougars quickly gained momentum, hitting several three-pointers. Kesti responded with back-to-back scores—a jumper and a three-pointer—to bring the game within four points. Minnesota Morris extended their lead again, connecting on consecutive three-pointers. At the half, Northland trailed 51-39, with the Cougars shooting 78.6% (11-of-14) from beyond the arc.
 
In the second half, the Jacks found their rhythm from three-point range, with Ari Pierson and Gavin Bartlett hitting shots. However, with just over 14 minutes left, the Cougars built their largest lead of the game at 19 points. Northland began to chip away at the deficit, with contributions from Hayden Harmoning and Jahlani Thornton. After a Pierson steal and a Tuura jumper, the lead shrank to 11. Following some back-and-forth scoring, Ryan Ehlert's basket in the paint made it 74-64. The Cougars responded with an eight-point run, sealing a 91-73 victory.
 
Pierson led the Jacks in scoring with 17 points, including 2-of-3 shooting from three-point range. Ian McFaggen came off the bench to add 16 points, while Thornton finished with 12. On the defensive side, Pierson grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, followed by Thornton and Harmoning with seven each. Kesti recorded a season-high three blocks.
 
The Jacks will hit the road for their next UMAC game on Wednesday, traveling to the University of Wisconsin-Superior for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.
 
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.