The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team improved to 5-0 on the season with a 81-72 win over the University of St. Thomas JV team Monday night.

The Golden Rams struggled shooting from the field for the first time this season, connecting on a season-low 41.5 percent of their shots and making only 7 of 21 shots from the three-point line.

However, Anoka-Ramsey made a season-high 20 free throws and committed a season-low four turnovers to pull out the win.

Anoka-Ramsey built a 31-20 lead using a 7-0 run and led 38-30 at halftime.

In previous games, the Golden Rams have used an early second half spurt to pull away, but St. Thomas scored the first four points to pull within four, then cut the deficit to just one, 42-41 with 16 minutes left.

With the score tied at 49 apiece, Anoka-Ramsey went on a 10-0 run and looked like they would pull away.

But St. Thomas cut the deficit back to four, 65-61 with 6:30 left in the game and eventually trailed by only three, 75-72 with 43 seconds left.

Two free throws from Mamadou Ngom, a dunk by Zane Lind, and two more free throws from Malik Williams and the Golden Rams held on for the win.

Chris Morgan scored 12 points to lead the Golden Ram scoring.

Harley Shear chipped in 11 points on 5 of 8 from the field.

Mamadou Ngom and Kevin Schramm each had ten points.

Ngom also pulled in a game-high nine rebounds.

Anoka-Ramsey will have a ten day break from game action before traveling to Cloquet on Friday, December 2nd to face Fond du Lac at 7:45pm, then Central Lakes on Saturday, December 3rd at 3:00pm in Brainerd.