MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.-- Grinding out a mid-season conference victory against a determined team usually takes a team effort. North Central University Men's Basketball posted that type of game to defeat The College of St. Scholastica 77-61 at home on Saturday evening. 

North Central (11-6, 6-1) got double figure scoring from four of five starters and the Rams played great team defense to hold The College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.) under both their season scoring average and shooting percentage. Over the first 17 minutes of the half the Saints stayed with NCU before the Rams surged to a 39-28 halftime lead.

St. Scholastica (5-13, 3-4) chipped the Rams lead down to 39-31 over the first minute of the half before NCU made a decisive run to put the game out of reach. A 10-4 push gave NCU a 49-35 advantage with 15:09 left and the Saints would get closer than that just one more time the rest of the way.

Senior Nathan Roeder (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) led all scorers with 21 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 8 assists and just 1 turnover. Junior Bryce Burkman (Winsted, Minn./Maple Grove) scored 17 points along with 7 rebounds.

Sophomore Luke Chafin (Dayton, Ohio/Troy Christian) continued his run of quality play with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and just 1 turnover. Junior Jordan Harrell (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) added 11 points and equaled Roeder's game high 8 rebounds despite playing just 24 minutes with foul trouble.

NCU was credited with eight steals and held the Saints to 36.2 percent (25-69) shooting from the floor with no St. Scholastica player reaching double-figure scoring. NCU continued their torid shooing pace with a 32-61 (.525) shooting night.

The three starting guards for NCU, senior Dylan McKneely (Baton Rouge, La./Broadmoor), Nathan Roeder and Luke Chafin combined for just four turnovers in the game.

The Rams will be back in action with a big home game versus Northwestern College (St. Paul, Minn.) on Tuesday night. The Rams and Eagles are each 6-1 in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference action to stand at the top of the league standings at the halfway point of conference play. NCU and NWC will tip off at 7:30 p.m.