SUPERIOR, Wis.-- North Central Men's Basketball found a way to win on the road on Saturday to secure a third place regular season finish. The Rams claimed a late lead in a game with 16 lead changes and held on to defeat the University of Wisconsin-Superior, 77-74, in Superior.

The Rams came into Saturday's game knowing a win gave them a third place finish in the UMAC, equaling the program's best ever finish after being pegged to finish eighth in the league preseason coaches poll. Wisconsin-Superior needed the win to earn a chance to host a UMAC playoff game next week so both teams had something at stake in the regular season finale.

The game was a tight affair the whole forty minutes with the largest lead for either team going to the Yellowjackets with about two minutes left to play in the first half when they went up 38-32. NCU was able to climb back to within 40-38 at the break after Jared High (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) and Josh High (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) hit back to back threes in the final 90 seconds of the half.

North Central never led by more than four points in the game. The final four point spread game with less than 30 seconds remaining and NCU hit free throws to see out the victory.

KEY SEQUENCE OF THE GAME

Throughout the second half the Jackets were able to hold the Rams at bay but two brief segments of the final twenty mintues proved decisive. The Rams were trailing by a point after going 1-2 at the free throw line with six minutes to play. After the Rams got a stop on defense, senior Cody Martin (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville) hit a big three pointer to give NCU a 67-65 advantage.

North Central then got another stop on defense and Jared High followed his own miss and got the put back lay-in that extended the difference and North Central would not trail again in the final 5 minutes. But the game's outcome would not be finalized until the final moments.

Sophomore Joel Cline (Green Bay, Wis./Southwest) made a great move in the lane to score with 2:31 to play, extending the Rams lead to 73-69. Superior answered right back and one of the most important stretches of the game was the Rams getting two stops on defense that took the clock down to just 28 seconds left. Junior Travis Voigt (Green Bay, Wis./N.E.W. Lutheran) calmly sunk free throws that made it 75-71 but UWS hit a contested three and it was a one point game with 19 seconds left.

North Central got the ball inbounded and Travis Voigt sunk two more three throws. Superior's final shot at tying the game was short and the Rams took the victory.

KEY PERFORMANCES OF THE GAME

North Central had four players reach double-figures on Saturday. But it was the performance of Jared and Josh High shooting from distance that kept North Central in the game in the first half. They were a combined 6-9 in the first 20 minutes. Josh was 4-7 while while Jared was 2-3.

Jared High finished with a team best 18 points on an efficient 8-11 from the floor. Josh High finished 15 points. Junior Isaiah Rustad (Hudson, Iowa/Hudson) was also a key play maker with 11 points and 6 rebounds. Joel Cline also added 11 points.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Three point shooting was the key for North Central as the Rams fired 11-27 (.407) while Superior was just 3-16 (.188)
• UWS dominated the glass with a 44-25 advantage on the boards
• Overall, the Yellowjackets outshot the Rams .492 to .453
• NCU had just four turnovers but forced 11 and outscored UWS 13-4 in points off turnovers

UP NEXT

The Rams have earned the third seed in next week's UMAC post-season playoff tournament. They will take on number two seed University of Northwestern (St. Paul, Minn.) in St. Paul on Wednesday. Tip off time will be announced later this week.