MINNEAPOLIS - The Martin Luther College men's basketball team was unable to overcome a 23-point first half deficit in a 95-81 defeat at North Central on Friday.

The Knights, playing without four players due to injury, was unable to slow down the hot-shooting Rams as they shot 11-18 from beyond the three-point arc on the way to a 51-30 lead at the half.

NCU continued its hot shooting in the second half, making its first four three-pointers to open the half before finally cooling down and missing seven of its final eight attempts to finish 16-30 from downtown for the game.

The Knights hung tough, as first-year players Ian Paulsen and Austin DeNoyer continued to attack the rim and get to the free throw line as MLC cut into the lead. MLC cut the deficit to single digits at 79-70 with 6:40 to play in the game, and then chopped the Rams' lead to five at 79-74 with 5:21 to play, but NCU was up to the challenge and pushed the lead back into double digits at the free throw line in the final minutes to secure the win. 

MLC shot 43.4 percent from the field and made 20 of 24 free throws, but were unable to match the Rams from beyond the arc, finishing 3-14 from distance for the game.

Paulsen led the way for the Knights with 18 points and 11 rebounds. DeNoyer added 16 points off the bench, while Jeffrey Parker finished with 15 points. 

The Knights fell to 1-13 on the season and 0-7 in UMAC play in defeat. NCU improved its record to 5-7 overall and 3-4 in league play with the win.

MLC will return to action tomorrow (Saturday, January 14) when it plays at Northwestern in a game scheduled to tip off at 5 p.m.