ELLENDALE, N.D.-- Women's Basketball kept building big leads and Providence University-College kept climbing back into the game in Friday's NCCAA Division II regional semi-final. The Rams got big performances from their three all-region award winners and they held on to defeat the Pilots, 70-62, to advance to tomorrow's region championship game.

Top seed North Central (9-17, 3-0 NCCAA Region) matched up with Providence UC (Otterburne, Manitoba) on Friday afternoon in an NCCAA region semi-final hosted by Trinity Bible College (Ellendale, N.D.). The Rams methodically built a 24-12 lead at the 12 minute mark of the opening half. The Pilots responded and eventually cut the lead to just 34-31 with three minutes left in the half. 

North Central reacted with equal passion and closed the half on a 13-1 run. Senior Shelby Norman (Winsted, Minn./Watertown-Mayer), junior Jamie High (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) and freshman Lizzy Swanson (Askov, Minn./East Central) all hit a pair of field goals in that key run that gave NCU a 47-42 lead at the half.

After Providence got the lead down to 47-38 over the first 2:15 of the second half, North Central once again got a response from their key players. Shelby Norman hit a three pointer and Lizzy Swanson got a steal on defense that she took all the way back for a lay-up to restore the Rams' control of the game.

With less than nine minutes left North Central led 60-43 and looked to be in control before another surge by Providence made it interesting. Providence would get within 64-54 with 1:54 left but the Rams would keep it double figures until a lay-up at the buzzer by the Pilots created the final margin.

Jamie High was named the 20114-15 NCCAA North Central Region Most Valuable Player and 1st team all-region earlier in the day and went out and showed why on Friday afternoon. She posted a game high 22 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists. Lizzy Swanson was also named a first team all-region selection at the end of her freshman year and posted 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in her first NCCAA post-season game. Shelby Norman was named to the all-region 2nd team on Friday and added 12 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in the win.

The Rams will play in tomorrow's NCCAA Region Championship game against the winner of the other semi-final between second seed Trinity Bible College and third seed Faith Baptist Bible College (Ankeny, Iowa). The championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. The region champion will receive an automatic berth in the NCCAA Division II National Championship Tournament.