MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. The North Central University Men's Basketball team will be in action three times this week, twice at home in the Clark-Danielson Gymnasium on the NCU campus. After a challenging four game stretch to open the season which saw the Rams play well in spurts and show their inexperience in others NCU will return home Wednesday night to take on the Northland College Lumberjacks (Ashland, Wis.) who are also 0-4 on the season. Thursday NCU will travel to the University of Minnesota-Morris for a rematch with the Cougars who downed the Rams 94-80 in the season opener. NCU will wrap up the week by hosting a Saturday matinee with Finlandia University (Hancock, Mich.).

NCU has been led in the early going by the outstanding play of Sophomore guard Nathan Roeder (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) who is averaging 19.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the first four games. Roeder is shooting an outstanding 47% from the three point line and is 16-18 on the year on free throws. Freshman Wing Andrew Berndt (Andover, Minn./Andover) is the other Ram averaging double figures in scoring at 14 points a game and is shooting 50% (7-14) behind the arc. Freshman Center Bryce Burkman (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) has improved steadily in the four games and is averaging 9.8 points and 6 rebounds while Senior Forward Levi Kooistra (Brookfield, Ill./Nashua Christian) is the Rams leading rebounder averaging 7.5 boards per game.

The Northland College Lumberjacks have been a one man show offensively with Senior Guard Michael Mackey (Holmen, Wis./Holmen) averaging 17.3 points while no other Lumberjack is above 8 points a game. Northland was picked to finish 6th in the Pre-Season UMAC Conference Coaches poll. NCU has already faced the top three teams in the UMAC according to the Pre-Season poll and will once again square off with the favorite Minnesota-Morris Thursday night. After finding themselves down by 29 points at half-time in the season opener NCU played a much better second half, outscoring the Cougars by 15 points. UM-Morris has lost three straight games against quality NCAA Division II and NAIA opponents coming into Thursday's re-match with NCU. The Cougars have been led by Junior Guard Steve Birman who is averaging 19.4 points and torched NCU with a 26 point first half and finished with 28 for the game. He was named the UMAC Player of the Week on November 23. Finlandia University has opened their season with a 1-6 record and is led by three players who have double figure scoring averages.

Tip-off for Tuesday nights game is set for 7 p.m. while both the NCU Women and Men will be in action Saturday with 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. start times.