Box Score MINNEAPOLIS, -- After a delayed start to their season, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team finally made their way onto the hardwood for a home season opener against the Oak Hill Christian College (OHCC) Wolfpack. From tip-off to the overtime buzzer-beating tip-in by Seth Fuqua (Colorado Springs, CO, Vanguard Charter), the Rams fought with everything they had. Despite being short-handed, NCU managed to pull out an 87-85 victory over OHCC.
 
Game Recap

The Wolfpack opened the night up shooting with confidence from 3, going 9-of-22 from the field in the half compared to the Rams' 1-of-13. This, coupled with 11 NCU turnovers, was a combination that led to OHCC overtaking the Rams at the half. Despite the rough start, North Central hung in the game and came out in the second half with lockdown perimeter defense by holding Oak Hills to only four made baskets from three in the latter 20 minutes. Both teams put up a combined 37 attempts, but the Rams proved to be much more efficient, as NCU converted on 45.9% compared to the Wolfpack's 29.7%. OHCC led for a majority of the half, but by the time they knew it, NCU was nipping at their heels thanks to several key transition threes down the stretch. This resulted in the game being knotted up at the end up regulation, with each team showcasing 75 apiece on the scoreboard.
 
The Rams proved their determination to win in the five minutes of overtime by increasing their second half shooting percentage to an even higher 55.6%. This fueled NCU on the offensive side, but despite their efforts, OHCC held the lead for all but 25 seconds of overtime. On the last play of the game, Seth Fuqua flew down the lane to tip in his own missed three-point shot as the buzzard sounded. The effort by Fuqua secured the win for the Rams and gave them the edge to improve to 1-0 on the year.
 
Key Performer(s)

• Fuqua led the Rams with a double-double that consisted of 22 points and 14 rebounds in addition to the buzzer-beating put-back for the win.
• Jonathan Thompson (Kansas City, MO, Park Hill South High School) recorded a double-double as well, tallying 16 points and 12 rebounds in a stand-out performance for the true freshman.
• Jalen Dunlap (Houston, TX, Hightower High School) recorded 17 points along with 5 steals, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. An all-around performance for the senior guard.

Looking Ahead

The Rams will look to repeat their performance in Friday's matchup against Valley City State University, where tip-off is slated for 6:00pm. Follow the Rams on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for score and schedule updates throughout the season.