ROSEVILLE, MINN.—The 2023-24 season opener pitted the Hamline University men's basketball team at Northwestern (Minn.) for a Thursday-night bout. It was a tale of two halves, as the opening 20:00 resulted in a 35-28 cushion for the Pipers thanks to a solid .429 (15-of-35) shooting mark. Northwestern would tame Hamline's shooting, and return the favor with a .464 (13-of-28) shooting clip in the second half to secure a 62-57 victory.

Hamline begins the 2023-24 season 0-1, while Northwestern kicks off their campaign with a 1-0 mark.

Northwestern (Minn.) 62, Hamline 57

Each half resulted in three lead changes. The game's opening stage belonged to Northwestern, who jumped to their largest cushion of the game at 12-4 with 13:37 left in the first half. Hamline responded with a balanced scoring attack, as five different players scored in a 13-2 run that put them in the driver's seat at 17-14 with 10:27 on the clock. Momentum stayed with the Pipers, who trailed for just :16 of time from that point until halftime, where they carried a 35-28 advantage.

Hamline mustered a .320 (8-of-25) shooting mark in the second half, which included an 0-of-6 clip from the three-point line. Northwestern, who took the lead for good off Henry Fahnbulleh's jumper with 4:59 left that made the score 56-54, managed to exploit that with a .464 (13-of-28) figure over the final 20:00 that locked them a 62-57 victory.

Austin Holt recorded a double double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, along with five steals for the Pipers. Daniel McCarrell rounded out the Hamline double figure scorers with 12 points. The Pipers got 17 points from their bench, led by nine from freshman Raoul Vaidya. 

Henry Fahnbulleh, who registered seven of the Eagles' 11 offensive rebounds, tallied a double double that included 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Both teams combined for a .205 (8-of-39) mark from the three-point line.

The Pipers will host Martin Luther at Hutton Arena on Tuesday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m.