UMC MEN’S BASKETBALL BEATS CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL ON THE ROAD

The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Men’s Basketball team had another huge game from Blaize Sagna with 35 points and a huge Aguek Deng blocked shot with five seconds left in the game to beat the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears 84-82 victory in a Northern Sun Conference game played at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul.

FIRST HALF-
UMC had a solid start to the game as they went inside, and Aguek Deng (Jr. Des Moines, Iowa) started the game with a dunk and another basket for a 4-0 lead. CSP responded with back-to-back three-pointers. UMC answered with a basket from Reid Grant (Jr. Johnston, Iowa) and a three-pointer from Ben Hoverson (Jr. Grand Forks, ND) for a 9-6 lead five minutes into the game. CSP scored the next five points before UMC’s Deng buried a three-pointer for a 12-11 Golden Eagle lead. The back-and-forth runs continued as CSP scored the next eight points to take a 19-12 lead halfway through the half. UMC stopped the run when Jordan Mitchell (Jr. Columbus, Ohio) scored on a layup, but CSP built a 24-16 lead. UMC settled down and answered with a run of their own with an 8-0 run as Grant scored all eight points to tie the game at 24-24 with seven minutes remaining in the half.
CSP slowly built a 37-28 lead with two minutes left in the half. UMC finished the half strong as Blaize Sagna (Jr. London, England) scored on a layup, Mario Adams (Fresh. Rosemount) made a jump shot, and after two CSP free throws, UMC’s Grant made two free throws, and Sagna added three more points to bring the Golden Eagles within a 39-37 deficit going into halftime.
UMC made 14 of 31 shot attempts in the half while going 3 of 12 on three-pointers.  CSP made 14 of 30 shots while making 7 of 16 three-pointers. UMC only committed four turnovers in the half.

SECOND HALF
CSP built a 45-39 lead over two minutes into the second half, but UMC responded with layups from Sagna and Deng to get within a 45-43 deficit. CSP went on a 10-4 run to take a 54-47 lead six minutes into the half. UMC answered with a run as Sagna made a three-pointer, Grant added a layup. CSP made a three-pointer before Sagna responded with a three-pointer and a basket to tie the game at 57-57 with 11 minutes left in the game. UMC kept the momentum going with a Grant layup to take a 59-57 lead. The lead was the first Golden Eagle lead since they led 12-11 in the first half.
CSP built a 45-39 lead over two minutes into the second half, but UMC responded with layups from Sagna and Deng to get within a 45-43 deficit. CSP went on a 10-4 run to take a 54-47 lead six minutes into the half. UMC answered with a run as Sagna made a three-pointer, Grant added a layup. CSP made a three-pointer before Sagna responded with a three-pointer and a basket to tie the game at 57-57 with 11 minutes left in the game. UMC kept the momentum going with a Grant layup to take a 59-57 lead. The lead was the first Golden Eagle lead since they led 12-11 in the first half. UMC continued to roll with the hot hand of Sagnas as he made another three-pointer, and the Golden Eagles had a 70-64 lead with over seven minutes left. With 2:24 left in the game, UMC led 83-79 after Sagna scored his 34th point of the game. CSP missed a three-pointer, then missed back-to-back layups before they made a three-pointer and was fouled for a chance at a four-point play to tie the game. CSP missed the free throw, and UMC had an 83-82 lead.  UMC’s Deng made a free throw for an 84-82 lead with 24 seconds remaining. CSP missed a shot with 17 seconds left, and Sagna grabbed the rebound. UMC turned the ball over, and CSP had the ball, looking to tie the game, but a layup attempt was blocked by Deng with five seconds left, and UMC held on for a big 84-82 victory on the road.

UMC improves to 6-14 on the year and 3-11 in the NSIC and will travel to Minnesota State Moorhead on Tuesday. Concordia-St. Paul drops to 10-10 overall and 4-10 in the NSIC.