MANKATO, Minn. -- The North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team traveled to Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) on Monday night in search of earning the outright regular season UMAC title. With constant momentum switches in fast tempo game, the Rams fought to the last buzzer, but unfortunately couldn't hold on as they fell to the Vikings 88 to 69. Despite the loss, NCU was officially crowned with the University of Northwestern and University of Minnesota Morris as the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season champions. This is the first time in North Central basketball history this has ever been accomplished.

Game Recap

The Rams took control of the game from the tip and made a statement by going on a 7-2 run right out of the gate. Emily DiGiorgio (Ironwood, MI, Luther L. Wright High School) chipped in the first five points for NCU. The first half was a constant battle down low underneath the rim, as the Vikings and Rams both constantly looked to enter the ball into the post while each collecting several second chance points. DiGiorgio and the rest of the Rams defense handled the paint well, forcing BLC to kick the ball out for some high-contested shots. Although NCU didn't push the ball as much as they normally do, their three-point shooting took care of the missing fast-break buckets. The Rams shot 54% from downtown in the first half. Kadija Conteh (London, UK, City of London Academy) was on fire from three, knocking down a couple to put herself at 66% from deep range.

North Central recorded a scoring-frenzy in the fourth quarter as a result of several steals from multiple Rams that resulted in transition threes. Conteh was fundamental in the team's effort by converting on several buckets throughout the half, giving NCU the opportunity to stay within striking distance. The Rams shared the ball extremely well tonight, resulting in 22 total assists, led by Joelle Talso (Ramsey, MN, Spring Lake Park High School) who put up nine herself. The Vikings' offense down the stretch managed to convert on their offensive possessions, allowing them to keep their lead and run away with the victory by a final score of 69 to 88.

Key Performers

• Shooting 60% from beyond the arc, Kadija Conteh netted a career-high 30 point game along with four assists and three rebounds.
• Along with her superb defense, Emily DiGiorgio had a solid 16 points, five rebounds, and four assists. She shot an efficient 50% from three.
• Joelle Talso was all around the court like she normally is. She had nine points, nine assists, seven rebounds, and two steals.

Looking Ahead

With the regular season now officially behind them, the Rams will set their sights on winning the UMAC postseason tournament later this week. Holding the number one seed for the conference playoffs, this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. North Central will clash with the Crown College Storm in the quarterfinals. As a reminder to all fans, only essential game staff personnel will be admitted into the Clark-Danielson Gymnasium due to COVID-19 protocols. Fans are encouraged to watch the Rams in action by clicking here to watch the upcoming game against the Storm. Additionally, stay tuned to official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for any schedule updates and upcoming game information on the pivotal playoff showdown.