Minneapolis, Minn. – The Polars traveled to North Central University on Saturday night, falling 89–86 in a hard-fought road battle.

Crown opened the game on a 14–2 run, quickly building a sizeable early cushion. North Central slowly chipped away at the deficit and eventually took the lead with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. Over the final four minutes, the teams traded leads six times. A last-second layup sent the Polars into halftime with a five-point advantage, 45–40.

The second half began much like the first, as Crown opened on an 8–0 run to push the lead to 13 less than three minutes in. The Polars maintained control for the next several minutes, but the Rams once again clawed their way back midway through the half. The final seven minutes featured back-and-forth action, with North Central eventually extending its lead to two possessions with under a minute remaining. Crown had late opportunities while down three, but came up just short in an exciting 89–86 finish.

Tyler Smith recorded his second triple-double in the past week, finishing with a season-high 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. He also added a block and a steal, impacting the game in every facet. Anthony Knight was efficiently unstoppable again, pouring in a game-high 27 points on 63% shooting from the field and 50% from three-point range. Parker Behne knocked down four three-pointers on eight attempts while scoring 17 points, and Tristan Youngblood added eight points while shooting 50% from beyond the arc.

As a team, the Polars shot an even 50% from the floor and nearly 41% from three-point range. Crown also went 10-for-13 (77%) from the free-throw line, outrebounded the Rams 32–30, and recorded eight more assists.

The Polars have three games remaining in the regular season, all at home, against Martin Luther, Superior, and Northwestern. Crown will host Martin Luther on Wednesday, February 11, with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.