SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University men's basketball team's 2021-22 season opener pitted them at Northwestern (Minn.) on Wednesday night. The Pipers held a five-point, 68-63 cushion with 2:16 left in the second half, which ignited Northwestern's (Minn.) 6-0 run capped by Noah Alm's jumper with 0:14 on the clock that gave his team a 69-68 victory.

The Pipers begin the season 0-1, while Northwestern (Minn.) improves to 2-1.

Northwestern (Minn.) 69, Hamline 68

Alm's game-winning shot capped off a game-high 35-point performance that included a 13-of-27 mark from the field, along with 10 rebounds. He registered 22 first-half points, as his jumper with 2:35 left in the frame gave Northwestern their largest lead of the contest at 41-27. The Pipers responded with a quick 10-0 run that included a trio of three-pointers, two coming from Cooper Berg that narrowed the score to 41-37 at halftime.

Six of the game's eight lead changes occurred in the second half. Alm provoked the game's final lead change with his jumper with 0:14 on the clock that gave Northwestern a 69-68 victory.

Cooper Berg led Hamline with 20 points on 5-of-13 shooting, and 4-of-8 from three-point land along with nine boards. Sam Bradley tallied 12 points on 3-of-5 from the three-point line, while Tait Nelson rounded out the Pipers double-figure scorers with 11 points.

Hamline will travel to Luther on Saturday, November 13 for a 7:00 p.m. game.