St. Bonifacius, Minn. – Crown men's basketball defended home court Tuesday afternoon, holding off a late push from St. Scholastica to secure a 71–68 victory at the Athletic Center.

Crown came out sharp on the offensive end, shooting over 56 percent from the field in the opening half. Anthony Knight and Parker Behne set the tone early by consistently getting into the paint, while Levi Royston provided a spark off the bench as the Polars built separation midway through the half. A 13–3 Crown run stretched the lead into double figures, capped by back-to-back threes that pushed the advantage to 29–16. Crown went into the locker room up 38–29 after controlling the tempo and holding St. Scholastica to just 10 made field goals in the half.

The Polars extended the lead early in the second half, opening on a 12–3 run that made it 41–29 following a Tristan Youngblood three. Crown continued to find success attacking the rim, and free throws helped maintain breathing room as the lead grew to as many as 14. Tyler Smith anchored the defense throughout the stretch, finishing with 11 rebounds, eight assists, and four blocks.

St. Scholastica made things interesting late, chipping away with strong guard play and forcing turnovers to close the gap to two in the final minute. Crown answered at the line, with Behne and Royston knocking down key free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win despite a final push from the Saints.

Behne led Crown with 21 points, while Knight followed with 20 on an efficient 9-of-14 shooting. Royston added 14 off the bench, and Donovan Washington chipped in five points while converting crucial free throws down the stretch.

Crown will look to carry the momentum into its next contest as the Polars hit the road to take on Martin Luther on Jan. 10. The matchup marks the start of conference play for Crown as it continues its January slate.