Morris, Minn. – The Polars traveled to Morris on Wednesday for the first round of the UMAC Playoffs, taking on the Cougars of University of Minnesota Morris. After leading for much of the contest, Crown was unable to hold off a late rally, falling 85-79.

Parker Behne knocked down a three-pointer to open the game and give the Polars an early advantage. Morris kept things tight in the opening minutes, but Colby Deluce connected on back-to-back threes, followed by another from Tristan Youngblood, to stretch the lead to eight midway through the first half. The Polars closed the half on a strong note, taking a 43-33 lead into the break.

Crown continued to build momentum early in the second half, pushing its advantage to as many as 14 points behind stellar defense and balanced scoring. The Cougars steadily chipped away at the deficit and finally grabbed their first lead of the game with just three minutes remaining. The Polars battled down the stretch but were unable to reclaim control as Morris secured the 85-79 win.

Tyler Smith once again made his presence felt across the stat sheet, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, five blocks, and two steals. Anthony Knight led all scorers with 21 points, while Parker Behne added 20 points and three steals on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, including 3 made three-pointers.

The Polars now turn their attention to the National Christian College Athletic Association Regional competition on Tuesday, followed by the national tournament hosted by North Central University.