ST. PAUL, Minn. – Sam Koelling poured in a season-best 20 points as the Carleton College men's basketball team prevailed 78-74 in a tight game at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Neither team led by more than six points in a contest that saw 12 lead changes and 10 ties.
 
Carleton improved to 7-2 overall, and the Knights improved to 6-1 in games decided by five points or less.
 
The Eagles (4-6) shot an efficient 52.4 percent overall but were only 3-of-13 (23.1 percent) from 3-point range. Carleton made 48.4 percent of its shots, including seven 3-pointers. The Knights also held an 11-5 edge in free throws made.
 
Neither team was able to gain much separation early, as the game stayed within five points for the entirety of the first half. Northwestern matched its largest lead of the opening half at 19-14 with 10:55 to play. Carleton answered with a 10-2 run capped by back-to-back triples by Luke Harris and Austin Mohr.
 
Mohr hit a another 3-pointer, this one from the logo to give the Knights a 29-28 edge with 4:57 to play. Carleton would carry the lead into intermission, expanding the margin via a Josh Engleberg corner 3-pointer on the Knights' final possession to give them a 36-32 advantage heading into break.
 
Koelling dropped it in to start the second half as the Knights took a 38-32 lead, but the advantage was erased quickly after a 9-2 spurt by the Eagles, who now held their first lead since it was 28-26. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Knights were in the bonus with 13:26 to play. The Knights, who only shot two free throws in the first half, went 11-16 from the line in the second half, as fouls proved a problem for Northwestern over the final 20 minutes.
 
Another hot spurt for the Eagles, this time a 12-5 outburst gave the home team its largest lead of the contest at 52-46 with 11:37 left on the clock. The Knights wasted no time, with a 10-4 run capped off by back-to-back threes by Tysen Hayes, as the score sat gridlocked at 56-56 with 9:40 still on the clock.
 
The Eagles built a 67-63 lead with 5:31 left to play, but a 13-5 run across 4:47 of action put the Knights on top, 76-72. Carleton went 5-of-6 from the field during the run and forced three Eagles' turnovers. Koelling provided the spark during the run, chipping in seven of the 13 points.
 
A late layup by Eagles' Japheth Nyamari and a free throw by Knights' Matt Drake gave Northwestern an opportunity to send the contest to overtime, but AJ Greene's deep three was no good.
 
In addition to Koelling's second career game of at least 20 points, the Knights received a 17-point effort from Luke Harris, who climbed into sixth place on Carleton's all-time scoring list with 1,458 career points (see chart below). Spencer Goetz pitched in a well-rounded stat line of nine points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Mohr and Hayes both finished with career bests of eight points.
 
Four players finished in double figures for Northwestern as Caden Stevens, Nyamari, AJ Greene, and Lewis Wolbert tallied 16, 15, 13, and 12 points respectively.
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton has 16 days before its next contest, when the Knights travel to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off on Monday, December 30.
 
Carleton Top-10 Scorers All-Time
1. 2,029  --  Zach Johnson (106 G) '05-'09
2. 1,967  --  Josh Wilhelm (97 G) '95-'99
3. 1,903  --  Gerrick Monroe (105 G) '89-'93
4. 1,682  --  Kent Hanson (99 G) '16-20.
5. 1,467  --  Dan Forkrud (108 G) '02-'06
6. 1,458  --  Luke Harris (85 G) '21-pres
7. 1,445  --  Kyle Beste (105 G) '01-'05
8. 1,440  --  Ivan Grimm (64 G) '58-'60
9. 1,438  --  Jeremy Beckler (76 G) '19-'23
10. 1,423  --  Kevin Grow (103 G) '14-'18