DEARBORN, Mich. -- The University of Michigan-Dearborn men's basketball team suffered a hard-fought 72-65 loss to Siena Heights on Saturday (Nov. 23) in a competitive matchup that saw the Wolverines rally late but fell short in the final minutes.
The game began with a back-and-forth pace, but Siena Heights established an early lead with timely shooting from Jonas Tester and Brent Wiles. Tester, who finished with a team-high 20 points, was particularly effective in the first half, going 3-of-5 from the field. The Saints opened up a solid lead in the first half, relying on their ability to convert at the free-throw line (24-of-27 for the game, 88.9%) to maintain control.
UM-Dearborn struggled to find a consistent offensive rhythm, especially from three-point range, where they shot just 16.7% (3-of-18). Jackson Reynolds led the Wolverines in minutes (37) but had difficulty shooting, hitting only 2-of-10 from the floor, including 0-of-4 from deep. Despite the shooting woes, the Wolverines kept themselves in the game thanks to the efforts of Zachary Cody, who scored 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
Trailing by nine points at halftime, UM-Dearborn began to show signs of life in the second half, cutting into the deficit with improved defense and timely baskets. The Wolverines benefited from strong contributions off the bench, with Jonathan Ammori adding 11 points and grabbing nine rebounds and Joshua Warren contributing 10 points and three assists in 36 minutes of play.
The Wolverines defense also stepped up, limiting Siena Heights to just 37 rebounds, including only nine offensive boards. The Wolverines fought hard on the glass, with Collin Miller pulling down five rebounds and Ammori contributing nine. However, the Saints' free-throw shooting continued to be a decisive factor, as they shot a near-perfect 24-of-27 from the line, compared to just 10-of-17 for the Wolverines.
With just over 4 minutes remaining, Michigan-Dearborn closed the gap to 66-63 after a jumper from Cody, but they were unable to complete the comeback. Key free throws from Siena Heights' Brent Wiles (14 points) and Kobe Clark (11 points, nine rebounds) in the final moments sealed the win for the Saints.
