The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team avenged two early season losses by defeating Dakota County Technical College 92-78 on Saturday evening before dispatching of North Dakota State College of Science 87-81 on Sunday.
The win over NDSCS was the 600th of head coach Ron Larson's career. Coach Larson spent 34 years on the high school sidelines at Underwood, Fergus Falls, Braham, and St. Francis amassing 473 wins.
In 2008 he was hired at Anoka-Ramsey and has won 127 games including the Region XIII championship in 2014 and a sixth place finish in the 2014 NJCAA Division III National Tournament.
Vs. DCTC (W 92-78)
DCTC took a 7-4 lead with 17:36 left in the first half, but the Golden Rams scored the next 19 points to build a 23-7 lead with ten minutes remaining.
The Blue Knights pulled with 29-16 with 4:38 to play in the half, but another Golden Ram run pushed the lead to 41-20 at halftime.
The Golden Rams held DCTC to just 27.3 percent shooting in the opening half while connecting on 63 percent of their own attempts. Edvonte Copeland knocked down all four of his three-point attempts in the first half to lead the scoring with 12 points.
Anoka-Ramsey continued their torrid shooting in the second half, but DCTC was also able to find an offensive groove.
A layup by Falmata Tula pushed the lead to 70-48 with 9:06 left in the game, but DCTC would mount a comeback pulling within 82-71 with just over a minute remaining.
From there Anoka-Ramsey would go 10 of 10 from the free throw line to close out the game.
The Golden Rams finished the night shooting a season-high 60.7 percent from the field including 9 of 18 from the three-point line.
Mamadou Ngom finished with a team-high 19 points to go with six rebounds.
Copeland finished with 17 points on 5 of 6 from beyond the arc.
Tula scored 14 points to go with seven rebounds.
Collin Price connected on four three-pointers and finished with 12 points.
Harley Shear made 5 of 6 field goals to score ten points.
Vs. NDSCS (87-81)
The Golden Rams continued their hot shooting from the field from the previous night, and put on an even better performance from the three-point line in defeating NDSCS.
The Wildcats jumped ahead 7-2 early in the game before the Golden Rams responded with a 8-2 run to go ahead 10-9 following a three-pointer from Brandon Hixson.
NDSCS would complete a three-point play to take a 12-10 lead, but a jumper from Caleb Garrigan, and a three-pointer from Edvonte Copeland would kick-start a 20-7 run capped off by a three-pointer from Raol Rose and the Golden Rams led 30-19 with 8:29 left in the half.
NDSCS responded with a 15-1 run of their own to pull ahead 34-31 with 5:02 to play.
Collin Price knocked down a three to knot the score at 34, but the Wildcats scored the next five points to pull ahead 39-34.
A layup from Mamadou Ngom and another three from Price once again tied the score 39 apiece.
Following a score from each team, NDSCS would hit a 15 foot jumper at the halftime buzzer to take a 43-41 lead into the break.
The Golden Rams shot 55.6 percent in the opening period, but the Wildcats hit 52.9 percent of their shots and capitalized on eight first half turnovers from Anoka-Ramsey.
NDSCS extended their lead to 56-50 and took an eight point lead, 66-58 with nine minutes left in the game.
A three-pointer from Mahad Haji pulled the Golden Rams within five.
Following a NDSCS free throw to go up 67-61, Anoka-Ramsey would score the next eight points to pull ahead 69-67 with 7:16 left.
Tyler Matsen would make one of two free throws with 3:39 to play to give Anoka-Ramsey a 77-72 lead.
The Wildcats pulled within 79-78 with 1:25 left before two free throws from Price pushed the lead back to three for the Golden Rams.
NDSCS would miss a layup on the other end and Tula would make a layup of his own to push the lead to five with just 15 seconds to play.
The Wildcats were fouled on their next possession but made just one of two free throws to pull within four.
Anoka-Ramsey sealed the game from the free throw line as Tula and Price each knocked down two in the closing seconds.
The Golden Rams shot 52.8 percent overall and 14 of 27 (51.9 percent) from the three-point line.
Price led the scoring with 21 points making 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6 of 6 from the free throw line.
Haji scored 14 points making 4 of 7 three-point attempts.
Tula finished with 13 points making 5 of 5 from the free throw line.
Ngom scored 11 points including 5 of 6 free throws.
The Golden Rams improve to 8-5 overall and start MCAC Southern Division play on Wednesday when they host M|State Fergus Falls at 8pm.