DECORAH, Iowa – The Macalester College men's basketball team lost a close non-conference road game to Luther College, 80-77 Sunday afternoon at the Regents Center. The loss evens the Scots' record at 1-1 on the season, while the Norse begin their season 1-0.

Macalester started well, jumping out to an 11-5 lead with junior forward Jackson Henningfield (Lake Mary, Fla./Lyman) hitting a pair of threes and junior guard Gabriel Ramos (Dorado, Puerto Rico/Tasis Dorado) making another. The Scots led for most of the first half and eventually built a 37-30 advantage with just over four minutes left in the half. Luther closed the period with an 8-4 run to make the halftime score 41-38 Scots. Macalester shot 61.5 percent from the floor in the first half, including 8-of-16 from three-point range. Ramos and Henningfield tallied 13 and 12 points, respectively to lead the Scots.

Momentum stayed with the home team into the second half, as the Norse opened the half with a 16-2 run to take a 54-43 lead. Macalester responded with eight straight points, with junior guard Tyler McFarland (Denver, Colo./New Hampton School) starting the run with a three-pointer and sophomore guard Lucas Leiter (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Eagan) ending the run with a conventional three-point play that cut the deficit to 54-51.

The Scots continued to pick away at Luther's lead, eventually taking a 61-60 edge on Ramos' fourth three-pointer of the game with 9:09 on the clock. After the teams traded baskets, the Norse scored the next nine points, capped by a three from Garrian Wade, to pull ahead, 71-63 with 3:51 remaining. Four points from sophomore center Shane Anderson (Fargo, N.D./Davies) and three from McFarland helped Macalester to reduce the deficit to 74-70. But again Luther used a three to extend its lead, 77-70 with just over a minute to play. Ramos hit a late three to make the score 80-77, but time ran out and the Norse held on to win.

Ramos set career highs with 17 points and seven assists while matching his all-time best with seven rebounds. He made five three-pointers and had two steals. Henningfield finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, while Anderson was 8-of-10 from the field en route to a career-high 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. McFarland tallied 15 points, six boards and four assists. Wade and James Kappus paced Luther with 16 points apiece.

Macalester hosts the University of Northwestern on Wednesday, Nov. 13, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Leonard Center.

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