MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. North Central was not able to claim the 2012 AGCU Classic Championship but did claim two big wins over rival and NCCAA DII Top 25 schools over the weekend. NCU sandwiched wins over Trinity Bible College and Central Bible College Thursday and Saturday night around a painful loss to Valley Forge Christian College on Friday night to finish as runners up in the annual tournament.
North Central earned a comfortable 101-73 victory over Trinity Bible College to open the tournament on Thursday night. A three pointer by sophomore guard Matthew Shepard (Council Bluffs, Iowa) broke a 12-12 tie at 14:22 of the first half and NCU would lead the rest of the way including by a 54-36 halftime margin. North Central controlled the game in such balanced fashion that junior NCCAA 1st team All-American guard Nathan Roeder (Hudson, Wis.) did not hit his first shot until 5:02 remained in the first half but the Rams already led by 9 points. Over the final five minutes of the first half Roeder surged to 15 points and NCU would never lead by less than 14 in the second half. The win gave NCU a 1-0 mark in the NCCAA DII North Central Region. Sophomore guard Andrew Berndt (Andover, Minn.) led NCU with 22 points while freshman forward Jordan Harrell (Maple Grove, Minn.) recorded the third best single game rebounding total in Rams history with 18, including 12 offensive, and scored 21 points. Roeder ended up with 19 points while sophomore guard Jonathan Delgadillo (Miami, Fla.) and sophomore forward Ben Peters (Faribault, Minn.) each added 10.
Friday night North Central matched up with NCCAA DII second ranked Valley Forge Christian College (Phoenixville, Pa.) and the outcome was a difficult one for the Rams to take. After NCU cut an early Valley Forge lead to 13-10, a controversial blocking foul was called on NCU and after some player reactions, a technical foul was accessed on sophomore forward Bryce Burkman (Maple Grove, Minn.). The original shot on the play was counted and the Patriots connected on two of three free throws to make it a four point trip for Valley Forge giving the road team a 7 point lead which would be as close as NCU would be in the first half. The Patriots led 30-20 at halftime. The Rams were able to claw back to with in five points at 36-31 at 16:01 to play but a string of three additional technical fouls were called on North Central which would eventually lead to Bryce Burkman being removed from the game and Jordan Harrell being pulled from the game. The six extra free throws and three extra possessions created a challenge for the Rams and despite getting a 12 point lead down to 5 at 13:17 remaining, NCU simply could not mount a final comeback against a talented and athletic opponent. Valley Forge wore out a depleted Rams squad on the way to a 78-61 victory. Nathan Roeder led NCU with 18 points while junior guard Dylan McKneely (Baton Rouge, La.) recorded an NCU-career high 16 points. Andrew Berndt added 13 points with Ben Peters leading NCU in rebounding with 10 and 8 points despite fouling out of the game.
Saturday North Central rebounded with pride verses Central Bible College (Springfield, Mo.) in a 73-67 victory over the Spartans. NCU seized control right from the tip with a fiery team effort that included a 15-4 run over the first 4:30 of the game. That run included 3 three pointers from Nathan Roeder and three blocked shots on the defensive end for a Rams team that played with something to prove for most of the night. NCU ran out to a 20 point lead with 3:20 to go in the half before settling with a 41-25 halftime lead on a Dylan McKneely three pointer just before the buzzer. NCU would once again lead by as a many as 20 points several times in the second half before a late CBC run that epitomizes the hard working style the Spartans utilize cut the lead to under 10 with around a minute left. But NCU would do enough to hang on for the victory. Andrew Berndt led NCU with 21 points and 8 rebounds with Nathan Roeder scoring 18 points. Bryce Burkman scored 13 points and pulled down 8 rebounds and Jordan Harrell scored 11 points and grabbed 8 boards.
Valley Forge earned a 3-0 mark in the 2012 AGCU Classic to earn tournament title.
The 2012 AGCU Classic All-Tournament Team will be announced Tuesday, January 17.
North Central will return to action on Tuesday night with a 7:30 p.m. home tip off with Crown College (St. Bonifacius, Minn.).
