DULUTH, Minn. -- On the road for the first time in weeks, the North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team traveled to the College of St. Scholastica (CSS) looking to stay undefeated in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). After a start that saw the Saints jump out to an early lead, the Rams collectively came out strong in the second quarter by shooting 80% from three. With a final score of 68-48, NCU's efficient shooting and sound defense that held the Saints to a seven-point third quarter proved to be too much.

Game Recap

From the opening tip, CSS went on a 12-2 run in the first seven minutes of the game. Despite the slow start, NCU was able to tie the score at the end of the first quarter, 14-14. Several mid-range jumpers fueled by second-chance points by the Saints caused a lot of trouble for the Rams early on. In the second quarter multiple Rams found a hot-hand by putting up a collective 4-of-5 from three. Jocelyn Talso (Ramsey, MN, Spring Lake Park High School) and Kadija Conteh (London, UK, City of London Academy) were both instrumental in the Rams finding their first run of the night and giving them a halftime lead of 36-25. 

Once the Rams took command of the lead they held onto it for the latter 20 minutes of the game. The Rams showcased their notorious zone defense, which was foundational to the 12 steals recorded that led to 15 points off CSS turnovers. Down the stretch North Central put up one of their better free throw shooting performances to help them secure their sixth UMAC win of the year. This now puts the team at a program historic record of 6-0 in the UMAC with two more contests yet to be played.

Key Performers

• Jocelyn Talso had 19 points for the Rams tonight and shot 50% from the three-point line.
• Emily DiGiorgio (Ironwood, MI, Luther L. Wright High School) also had 19 points along with four rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.
• Along with pushing the ball the whole night, Kadija Conteh put up 13 points, six rebounds, and four steals.
• Naomi Hagstrom (Zimmerman, MN, Zimmerman High School) shared the ball well tonight, resulting in five assists. She also came down with 10 rebounds, nine points, and three steals.

Looking Ahead

The Rams currently sit on top of the UMAC with six wins and zero losses, and will look to continue their historic season this weekend. NCU travels a short distance to Crown College on Saturday with a matchup slated for 3 p.m. With a win over Crown, the Rams will have a legitimate shot of carrying the number one seed and home court advantage into conference playoffs that start late next week. Stay tuned to official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to keep connected to NCU women's basketball as they head down the final stretch of their conference campaign.