Box Score DULUTH, Minn. -- North Central University women's basketball wasted no time setting a tone for the upcoming Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) schedule as they dominated from start to finish in their first conference matchup against the College of St. Scholastica (CSS). The Rams came into the contest sporting a 2-3 record, having won twice in their previous three outings. St. Scholastica entered the conference opener with a record of 1-5, their lone victory coming against Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.). North Central was picked to finish sixth in the coach's preseason poll, one spot behind St. Scholastica. Tonight's win is sure to open some eyes across the UMAC.

Game Recap
NCU was able to control the game on both ends of the court from the opening tip. In a first quarter that saw the Rams outscore St. Scholastica 21-16, Emily DiGiorgio and Allison Bulthuis provided a massive spark for NCU. DiGiorgio would get the Rams on the board early with a great post move, but ultimately, it was her defensive effort that made all the difference in slowing down the Saints. Bulthuis continued to shoot the ball well, hitting two of her four three point field goals in the opening quarter of play. With only two seconds left on the clock, Kadija Conteh hit a deep, contested three to leave the Rams on top by five entering the second.

Continuing their hot start, the Rams really put the Saints on their heels by outscoring their opponent 17-10 in the second quarter of play. NCU finished the first half with huge momentum, heading to their locker room up 38-26. Emily DiGiorgio would help lead the Rams in the half with nine points and seven rebounds, while Bulthuis continued her hot start recording 12 points and three rebounds. St. Scholastica would finish the half with Karli Skog as the lone player to find success against the Rams defense, scoring 12 points and pulling down four rebounds.

With a 12 point lead coming out of halftime, North Central had its largest scoring output of the game, dropping 25 on the Saints in the third quarter. Unlike the first two quarters, it was the Rams bench that provided the juice for the quarter. Junior Alice Cato and freshman Jocelyn Talso came up huge for the Rams, pushing the ball in transition and finishing strong at the rim. North Central head coach, Paul Brunner, stated, "Cato continues to help us win with her hustle plays. We always know that we are going to get effort from her which is big for our team. I also was really happy for Jocelyn as she knocked down some big shots for us." At the end of the third, the Blue and Gold sat with a comfortable 14 point lead, 63-49. 

Staying true to form, the Rams refused to let up in the fourth quarter, continuing to demonstrate the effort that has helped them to rise year after year in the UMAC. Brunner's squad continued to execute with precision and discipline as they would finish the game with a solid 17 point victory, tallying a final score of 79-62. Emily DiGiorgio had another monster quarter for the Rams, as she would finish the half with 15 points and eight rebounds to pace NCU. When asked about DiGiorgio's output in the opening conference game, Coach Brunner reiterated his confidence in the sophomore by stating, "she is a huge difference maker for our team. There's no doubt that she is one of the best post players in our conference, and she continues to show it on both ends of the court. Her numbers don't even begin to show how much she helps our team execute our gameplans."

Key Performers
Emily DiGiorgio - 24 points, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks
Allison Bulthuis - 14 points, 6 rebounds
Jocelyn Talso - 12 points, 3 assists

Next Up
North Central is back in action for their home conference opener this Saturday, December 7th, versus the Yellowjackets of Wisconsin-Superior. Both teams enter the contest 1-0 in conference play after UW-Superior won their conference road opener against Northland College with a final score of 79-66. Opening tip for the contest is 4:45 p.m.

Media: For further information, contact Mike Knipe at 612-343-3541 or email mjknipe@northcentral.edu.