RIVER FALLS, Wis. — The UW-River Falls Men's Basketball team lost its home matchup against Hamline, 58-45, at Page Arena on Thursday, Dec. 19.

The loss dropped UWRF's record on the season to 4-5 overall. A fast start by the Pipers made all the difference, as the Falcons found themselves playing from behind early on.

Hamline opened the game on a 12-0 run, which tilted the scales in favor of the Pipers from the get-go. The Falcons cut the deficit to six points after responding with a 6-0 run of their own, but the Pipers managed to out-score UWRF 34-16 in the first half. Regan Merritt scored five first-half points, while Micah Thompson grabbed six boards. The Falcons struggled with turnovers, totaling 11 in the first half.

The Falcons made a second-half push that saw the home team out-score the visitors 29-24, but UWRF was unable to make up enough ground to claw back into contention. UWRF closed the contest on a 10-0 run, but ultimately saw the final buzzer ring on a 58-45 loss.

Jack Leifker was UWRF's leading scorer with eight points, and he also added nine rebounds and two blocks. Thompson finished as the Falcons' top rebounder with 11 boards. 

Hamline saw three players score in double-figures, led by a game-high 15 points from Daniel McCarrell. 

UWRF held a 47-38 advantage in team rebounding, and benefited from 17 bench points. 

Up next, UWRF will host the 2024 Radisson Holiday Classic at Page Arena on Dec. 30-31. The tournament includes UW-River Falls, UW-Stout, UW-Superior, and St. Scholastica. The Radisson Holiday Classic home page can be found here. The Falcons are scheduled to face St. Scholastica on Dec. 30 and UW-Superior on Dec. 31.