St. Bonifacius, Minn. – The Polars hosted Martin Luther on Wednesday, falling 77-66.

Martin Luther struck first and led for most of the opening quarter. The Polars briefly grabbed a 24-23 lead midway through the first half, but the Knights responded quickly and reclaimed the advantage for good. Crown kept the game within striking distance throughout the second half but was unable to fully close the gap.

Tyler Smith nearly recorded his second consecutive triple-double, finishing with a team-high 16 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists, while adding three blocks and one steal. Parker Behne contributed 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists.

Crown steps out of conference play to host Oak Hills Christian College on Friday before closing the regular season with two more home games. The Polars welcome Wisconsin-Superior on Wednesday the 18th, followed by Northwestern on Saturday the 21st.