MINNEAPOLIS-- A third time was the charm for the Rams on Friday night. In a match-up featured as the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Game of the Week, Men's basketball ran away from Bethany Lutheran College for a 104-75 win.

For the third time this season the Rams were part of a game billed as the UMAC game of the week. The previous two ended with NCU on the skinny end of a lopsided score line. This time North Central (11-12, 8-5 UMAC) broke a four game losing streak in conference play and avenged an earlier season loss that ended a 7-0 game unbeaten start to league play.

The Rams led from wire-to-wire on Friday night but Bethany Lutheran College (Mankato, Minn.) found a way to keep within striking distance throughout the first half. After North Central got in front 37-22 with 6:43 to play in the half, the Vikings trimmed the difference to 48-41 with about a minute to go. Sophomore Joel Cline (Green Bay, Wis./Southwest) scored before the break and NCU led 50-41 at the half.

Bethany Lutheran opened the second half by getting the difference down to just 52-47 less than 90 second in to the period. From that point on North Central exploded offensively outscoring Bethany Lutheran 52-28 over the final 18 minutes, erasing the memory of losing a 10-point lead late against the Vikings in December in Mankato.

KEY SEQUENCE OF THE GAME

North Central absorbed the Vikings surge at the beginning of the second half and answered with a sharp shooting exhibition that gave the Rams total control. This time Bethany Lutheran had no answer and North Central pulled away.

With just five points separating the two teams and 18:49 left to play, North Central made 13 straight field goals that included six three point baskets. The Rams offensive run lasted over seven minutes during which NCU out scored BLC 29-8. The run gave the home team an 84-55 lead and after they missed their first shot in 13 attempts the Rams got an old-fashioned three point play from senior Cody Martin (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville) that erased any doubt NCU was going to see the victory out.

KEY PERFORMANCES OF THE GAME

Five Rams reached double-figures on Friday led by junior Travis Voigt (Green Bay, Wis./N.E.W. Lutheran) who scored 24 points. Cody Martin was also outstanding at the point guard spot with his second points and assists double-double of the year with 22 points and 10 assists. 

Senior Josh High (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) scored 17 points with 4 assists junior Isaiah Rustad (Hudson, Iowa/Hudson) added 16 points. Joel Cline posted 15 points with a game high 11 boards.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The story of the night was red hot NCU shooting as the Rams fired .646 (42-65) from the floor while BLC fired just 29-74 (.392)
• North Central recorded 26 assists on their 42 made field goals
• Cody Martin and Travis Voigt were a combined 18-23 from the field (.783)

UP NEXT

North Central hosts Martin Luther College (New Ulm, Minn.) on Saturday for the Rams parents day/senior day game. Rams regular season home finale against the Knights tips off at 3 p.m.