ROSEVILLE, Minn. --- Crown Men's Basketball opened their season on Wednesday with a contest against the Northwestern Eagles, falling 96-74 to the team from the northern suburbs. The Storm have a new look this year after they graduated seven seniors, including the reigning UMAC Player of the Year. With new faces everywhere on the roster, an additional wrinkle complicated everything when several athletes missed the contest due to Health & Safety Protocols.
Senior Christian Moore was everywhere on the court, leading the team in multiple categories with 19 points and eight rebounds along with three assists and two steals. This contest marked an excellent start for the wing, as Moore only had one game in the 2019-20 season where he eclipsed 19 points. Junior Cole Andersen added 13 points, a team-high four assists, two steals, and two rebounds as he entered the starting lineup to open the season. Seniors Brandon Pratt, Sawyer Lawhon, and Nathan Johnson also started for the Storm, combining for nine points in the contest.
Off the bench, five first-years made their debut for the Storm, with Quincy Wilson and Jacob Van Dam showing up big in their first collegiate contests; they both hit two threes and scored 12 points in the game. Wilson scored with incredible efficiency as he scored his 12 points in only six attempts from the field. First-year Carter Behne tied Chris Moore for a team-high eight rebounds, scored six points, and dished three assists. Drenen Magee and Ty Dill-Erickson also made their collegiate debuts, Magee hitting his early career's first three-pointer.
The Storm now look to begin their conference schedule with an incoming matchup against the North Central Rams on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Rams' home in Minneapolis. The Rams are currently 2-5 and are coming off a 93-92 nail-biter win over Martin Luther in their last non-conference game before league play. Last season, the Storm beat the Rams in both conference contests 78-72 and 90-77, and look to continue their streak of five consecutive victories over their city rival. At this time, NCU is not allowing fans at the upcoming contest, as only teams, refs, and game management personnel will be admitted. However, the game will be live-streamed, and our website will provide links to the feed.
