MINNEAPOLIS – The North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team hosted the University of Wisconsin, Superior (UWS) Yellowjackets in their first home UMAC matchup of the season on Saturday afternoon. In a contest that saw both schools showcasing their well-rounded defensive fronts, the Rams fell short to the Yellowjackets by a score of 68-53.

Game Recap

In the first half, the Rams came out with an offensive explosion accompanied by their stellar defense. NCU managed to take a 9-2 lead early in the game that was generated by key defensive stops, which eventually turned into fast breaks opportunities. As the game started to settle down from the high-paced action, the Yellowjackets flipped the script on the Blue and Gold in their half-court sets. UWS found their stride on the defensive end to hold the Rams to only 15 more points the rest of the half from the 16:50 mark. The second half proved to be a back-and-forth battle between the conference foes. Each squad managed to go on their own offensive runs and get stops when they needed to. As the game winded down, the Rams continued their efforts of closing in on the Yellowjackets' lead but were unable to find answers to stopping their offensive attack. This ended up guiding UWS down the stretch to the victory by a final score of 68-53. Even though NCU could not find a way to come out on top, they showed flashes of brilliance in their defense, as well as heart in their overall effort on the afternoon against a talented Superior basketball team.

Key Performer(s)

• Riley Loukinen turned in his best performance of the season. The senior guard put up 9 points and sank two threes to lead NCU behind the arc.
• Germaine Caldwell was ferocious on the boards against the Yellowjackets. The Bakersfield High School product grabbed 13 boards and dished out 3 assists to serve as a key component to the Rams' attack.

Looking Ahead

As the Blue and Gold have now dropped to an overall record of 2-7 (0-2 UMAC) in their 2019 campaign, they will look for their first conference win in their next matchup. NCU will continue their home stint in Minneapolis next week when they host the Knights of Martin Luther College on Wednesday in another critical UMAC contest. Tip-off for the game is slated for 5:30 p.m.