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CROOKSTON, Minn. – Despite putting four starters in double figures, led by 19 points from junior Collin Pryor in his first return to the starting line-up in three weeks, the Northern State Wolves were unable to overcome a slow start to the night and pair of 20-point performances from Minnesota, Crookston's Jacolby Anderson and Akeem Cubie in a 73-88 loss to the Golden Eagles Saturday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball action.
 
The loss drops the Wolves to 12-9 overall and 8-9 in NSIC play, having lost two straight on the road.  NSU is still hanging on to the eighth spot in the conference standings with five games left to play in the regular season.  With the win, Minnesota, Crookston moves to 7-13 on the season and 3-13 in the loop.
 
The Golden Eagles, who have now won two of their last three games, sprinted out to an early advantage, leading 18-7 with 12:26 left in the half.  They extended that lead to 13 points at 28-15 with under five minutes left in the half before the Wolves found a rhythm.  NSU closed the half on a 13-3 run to get back within three points, heading into the locker room down 31-28 after scoring their final seven points of the stanza from the free throw line.
 
NSU came out of intermission to cut the deficit to just one point on a Pryor bucket in the first 35 seconds of the second half, but that's as close as the Wolves would get.  UMC again stretched the lead quickly back to double digits and never looked back, holding a lead of 13 or more the rest of the way.
 
In addition to Pryor's 19 points, the Wolves got 15 from senior Alex Thomas, 12 from Dustin Tetzlaff and 11 from sophomore Jared Hannigan, who went 6-for-6 from the free throw line.  The Wolves shot just 42.5 percent from the field, including 5-for-20 from long range.
 
The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, got a 24-point, 10-rebound performance from Cubie and 21 points from Anderson.  Justin Rake added 12 points, as the trio combined to go 8-for-12 from downtown.
 
The Wolves remain on the road next weekend to face Augustana and Wayne State in another pair of key NSIC re-matches.  NSU fell at home to both squads and will be looking to repay the favor.  The Wolves will face off against Augustana on Friday at 8 p.m. and against the Wildcats of Wayne State on Saturday at 6 p.m.