ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. -- Coming off of an exciting win last night, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team looked to continued their success against Crown College. The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) matchup came down the to final possession as the Storm barely got the victory over the Rams, 73-72 at the buzzer

Game Recap

Although playing the previous night, the Rams looked fresh as they went on a 12-3 run to start the game. Sharp shooter Tanner Holtman (Aurora, CO, Grandview High School) was a big part of that as he had four three pointers in the first half, shooting 66% from outside. NCU scored quickly in their possessions but made CC work the clock to even get a shot off. The Rams were up by as many as 11 points, but the Storm got some momentum late and closed the half down five.

CC came out of the half hot and quickly took the lead over the Rams. However, NCU held their composure and calmly regained their lead and stretched it 13 points. The Rams held this comfortable lead for most of the second quarter until about eight minutes left in the game when the Storm started to creep back in. It was a back and forth game down the stretch as teams traded baskets and the lead. With a little over a minute to go, Micah Filer (Sacramento, CA, Capital Christian School) hit a three to tie the game up 70-70. Then, Holtman had a steal, and Jonathan Thompson (Kansas City, MO, Park Hill South High School) had a block, keeping the Storm from scoring on two straight possessions. 

Justin Castro (Kissimmee, FL, Gateway High School) hit two clutch free throws to give the Rams the lead 72-71 with nine seconds to go. NCU played great defense on the other end as the Storm got up a lucky shot to take the win. With this outcome, the Rams are split 1-1 in the UMAC and 6-5 overall. 

Key Performers

• Off of six three pointers, Tanner Holtman scored 20 points and secured seven rebounds.
• Micah Filer scored a solid 15 points.

Looking Ahead

The Rams get a short rest then are on the road again to the University of North Dakota for an exhibition game at 7 pm. All fans are encouraged to tune into official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages for updates on the men's basketball team and more important information.