MINNEAPOLIS – For their final home game of the 2019 year, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team hosted the Martin Luther College (MLC) Knights in another pivotal UMAC showdown. Through 40 minutes of hard-fought action, the Rams found a way to come overcome the Knights and grab their first UMAC victory of the season in thrilling fashion by a final score of 94-87.

Game Recap

Both halves of this marquee matchup did not disappoint, as the heavily anticipated back-and-forth game was showcased in every minute of action. Early on, both teams struggled in their offensive attacks, but the rest of the game told a completely different story. Great ball movement created open looks beyond the arc that guided NCU to lead for 15 minutes of the first half. Even though NCU led for the majority of the time, MLC fought their way back and slowly chipped away at their lead to knot the score up at 42 a piece heading into halftime. The second half told a similar story with a myriad of lead changes, but was because of an offensive firework display. Both teams shot well, and NCU collectively knocked down an impressive 17 threes on only 28 attempts to power their way in the tight affair. A few key stops defensively against MLC down the stretch guided the Rams to pulling away in the final minutes of the contest and grabbing the win. All in all, the Rams' ambitious effort to never let the Knights dictate the pace of the game coupled with a hot 52% shooting from the floor led to their first crucial UMAC win of the 2019-20 campaign. From this, multiple Rams had career nights and stuffed the stat sheet in every way possible.

Key Performer(s)

• Seth Fuqua had a career day and truly paved the way for the Rams to their offensive success on the night. The freshman guard out of Colorado Springs, CO put on a clinic from deep where he dropped 24 points on a tremendously efficient 6-9 from three.
• Joining Fuqua from the three-point line was Riley Loukinen, who recorded 17 points on 5-8 shooting from behind the arc.
• Justin Castro showcased his versatility in this one. The junior transfer out of Anoka Ramsey Community College had one of the best well-rounded stat-lines of season for the Rams. Castro flirted with a triple-double by recording 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists.
• Germaine Caldwell filled a fundamental role for NCU as he dropped a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Looking Ahead
The Rams will now improve to an overall record of 3-8 (1-2 UMAC) on the season. This win against the Knights will play an important role for the team's standing in the UMAC as they head into the second half of their schedule. NCU will hit the road and take on the University of Minnesota, Morris Cougars this coming Saturday before a three-week break in their schedule over the holidays.