Ellendale, N.D. — Crown fell in the NCCAA Division II North Region Championship on Wednesday night, dropping a 76–70 battle to North Central University.

The Polars controlled much of the first half, building a 9‑point lead behind 8 points each from Tyler Smith and Parker Behne. North Central flipped the momentum after halftime, quickly erasing the deficit and taking the lead with just under 13 minutes remaining. Crown stayed within reach, but an 8–1 Rams run entering the final five minutes created a 10‑point gap the Polars couldn't fully close. Crown cut it to four in the final minute before North Central held on for the 76–70 win.

Anthony Knight powered a strong second half, scoring 16 after the break to finish with a team‑high 18 points on 6‑of‑11 shooting and a perfect 5‑for‑5 at the line. Smith delivered his best scoring output of the season with 17 points while adding 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal. Behne knocked down three threes and totaled 12 points.

Crown earned an at‑large bid to the NCCAA Division II National Championship and was selected as the No. 6 seed. The Polars will face No. 3 Manhattan Christian College on Thursday, March 12 at 4:00 p.m. Full tournament details are available at the provided link.