The Anoka-Ramsey Community College Men's Basketball team, one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, struggled from outside the arc in a 78-60 loss at Rochester on Wednesday evening.
The Golden Rams, who entered the game shooting 42.4 percent from three on the season, hit just 2 of 19 attempts from long-range (10.5 percent), while Rochester knocked down 11 of 22 from deep.
Anoka-Ramsey started the game strong, taking a 13-7 lead, but Rochester used a 13-1 run to go ahead 20-14.
Six straight points from Elijah Linear helped trim the deficit to just two points, and a Chris Morgan bucket tied the score at 28 apiece with four minutes left in the half.
Rochester then went on a 5-0 run as part of a larger 14-6 run to end the first half with a 42-34 lead.
Things didn't get much better in the second half for the Golden Rams.
After Morgan scored to cut the deficit to six, Rochester went on a 7-0 run to take a 49-36 lead, a double-digit lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Rochester won the battle on the boards outrebounding Anoka-Ramsey 47-32.
The Golden Rams were led in scoring by Malik El-Amin with 18 points.
Kevin Schramm scored 14 points to go with 12 rebounds.
DeAndre Jones scored 12 and Elijah Linear chipped in with eight points.
Anoka-Ramsey is 16-10 overall, 11-2 in the MCAC Southern Division.
The Golden Rams have clinched at least a share of the Southern Division title. With a one game lead on Rochester they will have a chance on Saturday to win the title outright when they host Ridgewater at 3:00pm.