NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College men's basketball team was unable to solve the Crown College defense in a 74-61 defeat on Thursday.

The Knights struggled in multiple areas on the offensive end, shooting 34.4 percent from the field, 34.8 percent from beyond the three-point arc, and also committing 21 turnovers against the Storm defense that both pressured them full court and frustrated them with a trapping zone defense in the half court. Big man Seth Royston also proved a difficult obstacle down low for the Knights, blocking eight shots to go with 13 points and 13 rebounds for Crown.

The Storm led for much of the game, but the Knights were able to keep within eight points all the way until the final minutes of the game, and trailed by only two points (55-53) with 6:04 to play in the second half following a Jonathan Riebe three-point field goal.

Crown would respond, however, with a there-point play of its own to kickstart a 14-1 run over the next four minutes, and allowed only one MLC field goal in the final six minutes to secure the win down the stretch.

MLC held Crown to 36.8 percent shooting in the first half, but the Storm was able to get loose in the second half to the tune of 46.4 percent overall and also shot 13-21 from the free throw line. 

Joey Behm and Micah Kieselhorst led MLC with 11 points apiece. Riebe added seven points and a team-high five assists. Jack Heichelbech scored nine points to go with seven rebounds.

MLC fell to 1-4 on the season and 0-3 in UMAC play in defeat. Crown improved to 2-4 overall and 2-2 in league play with the win.

The Knights will return to action on Saturday, February 13, when they host Northwestern-St. Paul in a non-conference contest starting at 7 p.m.