MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.-- In their first game following the Thanksgiving holiday break North Central University Men's Basketball struggled to find their shooting touch in the first half versus the University of Dubuque on Tuesday night. That edge was all the visiting Spartans needed en route to an 80-65 victory over NCU in CLC Gymnasium.

North Central (2-2, 0-0) shot just 31 percent (9-29) from the floor in the first half including 0-4 from behind the arc which left them facing 40-25 deficit at the break. NCU hung with the University of Dubuque (Dubuque, Iowa) for the early stages of the first half and trailed just 17-14 with 12:38 left in the opening period. But North Central got just three more field goals the rest of the half to create a barrier that would prove difficult to overcome.

NCU would fight back at several points including cutting the lead to 47-40 early in the second half. Senior Nathan Roeder (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) hit a three pointer and a difficult leaner in the lane before recording a steal and lay-in to force a Spartans timeout with 15:10 remaining. 

Dubuque (5-1) would push the margin to as many as 16 before NCU made a push to trim the lead to single digits for the final time. Junior Jonathan Delgadillo (Miami, Fla./Sunset) and Nathan Roeder hit a pair of three pointers on consecutive possessions to make the score 70-61 with 3:10 remaning. That would be as close as the Rams would get before the final buzzer sounded.

Junior Bryce Burkman (Winsted, Minn./Maple Grove) led NCU with 20 points on 8-14 shooting from the floor against a very stout Spartan's front line. Nathan Roeder scored 16 points despite having an off shooting night. Sophomore Luke Chafin (Dayton, Ohio/Troy Christian) added 11 points for NCU. 

North Central will be back in action on the road with a pair of NCCAA regional games this weekend. Friday the Rams take on Providence College (Otterburne, Manitoba) at 4 p.m. before battling Trinity Bible College (Ellendale, N.D.) at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will be hosted by Trinity Bible College at the Ray Ulmer Field House.