MINNEAPOLIS-- Team defense was the story in Saturday's womens basketball victory over Trinity Bible College in the NCCAA Division II Region Championship game. The Rams made it hard for the Lions to score all night and claimed a decisive 66-47 victory that sends North Central to the NCCAA National Championship tournament.

North Central (9-18) held the top seed Trinity Bible College (Ellendale, N.D.) to just three field goals and nine points in the first quarter. NCU led 18-9 after the first ten minutes, holding TBC to .231 (3-13) shooting from the floor.

Though there would still be two quarters left to play, North Central took total control in the second. The Rams once again held TBC to just 3-13 shooting from the floor and only 6 points in the quarter to take a 37-15 advantage to the locker room and that would be enough for the Rams to finish out their region championship performance.

KEY SEQUENCE OF THE GAME

Rarely does a definitive sequence occur early in a game but it was true on Saturday. After the Rams jumped out 4-0, the Lions responded quickly with 7 points from their next three possessions to lead 7-4 with 7:28 to play in the opening period.

From then on the Rams defense turned up the pressure and held the Lions almost nine minutes of game time without another field goal. By then North Central had gained a 20-9 lead. Following the Lions bucket that broke the dry spell, sophomore Marissa Kari (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) hit a three point shot that restored a double figure lead. That basket launched a 12-0 NCU run and another five minute scoreless patch for the Lions and the game was never in question again the rest of the way.

KEY PERFORMERS OF THE GAME

The effort on Saturday had it's statistical leaders but the Rams team defense was the true star of game. NCU held Trinity to .300 (18-60) shooting and just two three point field goals. The great defense was bolstered by an equally solid night on the glass for NCU who out-rebouned TBC, 45-32.

Sophomore Lizzy Swanson (Askov, Minn./East Central) led the Rams with 23 points and 4 assists. Marissa Kari just missed a double-double with 13 poins and 9 rebounds. Senior Jamie High (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) did it all in her final game on the Clark-Danielson Gym hardwood posting 12 points, a gane high 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals with no turnovers. Freshman Syndey Steele (Woodbury, Minn./New Life Academy) was also in double figures and narrowly missed a double-double with 12 points and 8 rebounds and just one turnover at the point guard spot.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• North Central stopped the Lions offense (.300 shooting) while excuting efficiently on the other end shooting .458 (27-59)
• NCU produced 15 assists to 10 turnovers after they had turned the ball over 22 times in their season opening loss to the Lions in Ellendale
• Four Rams in double-figures helped out-score the only two Lions to reach double-digits

UP NEXT

North Central has now earned an automatic berth in the 2016 NCCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Tournament. The national tournament will be hosted by Ozark Christian College (Joplin, mO.