Box Score For 25 minutes, all was okay for the Hamline men's basketball team at Eau Claire. The Pipers, looking to start 4-0 for the first time in more than three decades, jumped  from a 33-all halftime tie to a 47-37 lead. But the host UWEC Bluegolds then went on a 20-0 run and ended up giving the Pipers their first loss of the season, 73-62, at Zorn Arena.

Austin Johnson, Bennett Cooper (pictured) and Dior Ford scored 12 points each and Travis Johnson added 10 in the final tuneup before the MIAC conference opener Wednesday night at St. Mary's. Travis Johnson added seven rebounds and Cooper contributed six as the Pipers fell to 3-1 on the season. Ford's four field goals gave him 400 for his HU career. He is the eighth player in school history to reach that plateau.

After fighting from behind most of the first half, HU edged ahead by four points at 31-27 with 2:55 left. HU shot 50 per cent (14-28) in the first 20 minutes, which ended at 33 all.

Cooper and Austin Johnson keyed the early second half surge that gave HU the lead. Then the Pipers hit a six minute dry spell and fell behind 57-47. Hamline cut the margin to seven when Dylan See-Rockers nailed a three-pointer at 66-59 with 2:14 left. 

But that was as close as they could get.

At 3-1, Hamline is off to its best start in over a decade. They face the Cardinals in Winona Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.