The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team picked up their first MCAC Southern Division win of the season, 72-68 over M|State Fergus Falls on Wednesday.
The Golden Rams jumped out to a 9-0 lead just three and a half minutes into the game, but the Spartans would use a 9-2 cut the deficit to 11-9 with 13 minutes left in the half.
Anoka-Ramsey extended the lead to 21-11 after a field goal from Cameron Cummings, and were poised to pull away.
Still leading 30-23 with 4:17 to play, the Golden Rams went cold shooting and allowed a 7-0 run to end the half tied at 30 apiece.
Anoka-Ramsey shot 53.8 percent in the half compared to just 32.5 percent for M|State, but the Golden Rams committed nine turnovers and allowed 13 offensive rebounds, which gave the Spartans 14 more field goal attempts.
Over the first 10 minutes of the second half the lead would change hands five times and the score would be tied on six occasions.
The Spartans took their biggest lead at 47-43 with 10:25 to play, but a three from Trenton Pollard, and field goal from Justin Casey would put the Golden Rams back up 48-47.
From there the lead would change hands an additional five times and the score would knot up at 58 with 3:29 to play following a Spartan field goal.
Pollard completed a three-point play with 3:20 left, followed by a jumper from M|State to cut the deficit to one.
Chris Byrgiotis connected on a three-point field goal on the next Golden Ram possession to take a four point lead with 2:49 left.
The teams traded baskets on their next possessions before the Spartans had a 4-0 spurt to tie the game once again 66-66 with 1:20 to play.
Another field goal by Pollard would allow the Golden Rams to regain the lead.
Tyler Matsen came up with a steal on the next Spartan possession and passed it ahead to Pollard who had his shot knocked out of bounds with 21 seconds to play.
On the ensuing inbounds, Byrgiotis found Matsen who was fouled and connected on both free throws to extend the lead back to four.
The Spartans answered with a two-point field goal with nine seconds to play and fouled Pollard who made one of two free throws with eight seconds remaining.
Up three, Anoka-Ramsey would foul with three seconds left putting the Spartans at the line for a one-and-one bonus situation.
M|State intentionally missed the first free throw to try and get the rebound and have a shot at a three for the tie, but Robert Ben secured the miss and made one of two free throws for the final margin.
Anoka-Ramsey shot 50 percent for the game (28-56) and held the Spartans to 43.3 percent including just 4 of 17 from the three-point line.
The Golden Rams made 12 free throws compared to just six for M|State.
Pollard led the way with 24 points, 19 coming after halftime, on 10 of 17 shooting.
Casey finished with 15 points on 7 of 8 from the field and six rebounds.
Cummings finished with ten points.
Ben pulled in a game-high ten rebounds.
The Golden Rams continue MCAC Southern Division play on the road at St. Cloud Technical and Community College on Saturday at 3:00pm.
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