ST. PAUL, Minn.-- Men's Basketball dropped the first game of the ACR Homes Tip-Off Classic to The University of Dubuque on Friday evening. The Rams struggled to shoot the ball from the floor and, despite a late run, fell to the Spartans 68-57.

North Central (0-3, 0-0) hung with The University of Dubuque (Dubuque, Iowa early on and trailed just 18-13 with 9 minutes left in the half. But the Spartans found a bit of rhythm over the remaining time and took a 35-22 lead to the locker room.

After the Rams got a bucket from senior Jordan Harrell (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) in their first posession of the second half, Dubuque used a 6-0 run to push the lead to 43-24. Eventually difference would grow to as many as 62-32 with seven minutes left.

North Central then rallied together over the final five minutes. The Rams hit five three pointers including four from junior Luke Chafin (Dayton, Ohio/Troy Christian) to get within 66-57 with 40 seconds left. After the Spartans missed the back end of a one-and-one Chafin was just off on another three pointer and Dubuque avoided a disaster down the final stretch.

With his late second half scoring surge, Luke Chafin posted a game-high 19 points with 5 assists. Junior Cody Martin (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville) and freshman Travis Voigt (Green Bay, Wis./N.E.W. Lutheran) each added 8 points. Jordan Harrell added 5 points and a team 9 rebounds.

North Central will continue action in the ACR Tip-Off Classic on Saturday. The Rams take on Simpson College (Indianola, Iowa) at 3 p.m.