PLATTEVILLE, Wisc.- St. Olaf College held off the Sul Ross State University Lobos, 88-75 Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Division III  men's basketball tournament in Platteville, Wisconsin.

Sul Ross finishes the year at 22-7 while the Oles improve to 20-7.

St. Olaf, making its fourth tournament appearance in five years, will play in Saturday night's contest against either Monmouth, Illinois, or host UW-Platteville.

The Lobos scored the game's first seven points, but the Oles tied the game at 15 with 12:31 left in the first half. Noah Bank drilled a three-point shot a minute later, and the Oles never trailed again. St. Olaf led by as many as 15 in the first half and settled for a 43-36 halftime lead. 

The Pack closed within three points on three separate occasions in the second half, but each time St. Olaf had answers. A Conner Dawson three-point basket brought Sul Ross within 72-67, but the Oles answered with a 9-2 run to take an 81-69 lead wth 1:46 remaining that sealed the contest.

Caleb Thomasson, the American Southwest Conference West Division Player of the Year, paced four Lobos in double figures with 21 points, while Dawson had 11, and B.J. Hollis and Tristen Licon each scored 10.

St. Olaf's Austin Korba scored 22 points, and Robert Tobroxen scored 20 to lead the Oles, who knocked down 31-36 from the free throw line.