De Pere, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team improved to 9-1 on the season with a 101-68 victory over North Central University (Minn.) Monday night in the Nicolet National Bank Holiday Tournament in the Mulva Family Fitness & Spors Center at St. Norbert College (Wis.). The Rams drop to 2-11.

UWL advances to the championship game of the tournament on Tuesday, December 30 at 7 p.m. versus the winner of the St. Norbert (Wis.)/St. Olaf College (Minn.) contest.

In the first-ever meeting between the teams, North Central (Minn.) took an 18-14 lead on a Josh Hoffman three-pointer when UWL used a 9-2 run to take a 23-20 advantage on a Dustin Derousseau layup with 9:45 left in the first half. The game was tied four times the rest of the first half, including 39-39 with 1:53 remaining on Jaquan Adams' layup for the Rams. The Eagles took a 46-42 halftime lead after Devon Fielding's three-point field goal and Carson Bauer's layup. 

UWL opened the second half on an 11-0 run to make it 57-42 with 17:42 left on a JJ Paider layup. Carrington McNeal's free throw for North Central (Minn.) later cut the lead to 58-46, but a Sam Grieger three-pointer and Derousseau layup extended UWL's lead to 63-46. 

McNeal's three-pointer cut the lead to 63-49 with 14:05 remaining, but North Central (Minn.) would get no closer the rest of the game. UWL went on a 10-0 run to make it 73-49. The Eagles led by as many as 36 points in the game. 

UWL shot a season-high 57.8% from the field, including a season-high 43.5% (10-of-23) from three-point range, and 60.7% (17-of-28) at the free throw line. The Eagles shot 65.6% (21-of-32) from the field in the second half. 

Paider led five players in double figures with 23 points while recording a double-double with 11 rebounds. Grieger and Derousseau each finished with 17 points while Fielding added 15 points and Eli Schroeder 11. Grieger added five steals, four rebounds and three assists with Derousseau totaling four assists, three steals and two blocks. Fielding finished with four rebounds and two assists while Schroeder totaled two assists and two steals.

North Central (Minn.) shot 42.9% from the field, including 37.5% (12-of-32) from three-point range, and 80.0% (eight-of-10) at the line.

McNeal led the Rams with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists with Adams and Jax Effertz each totaling 11 points.