MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – For the first time in school history, the North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team hosted the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) championship game in Clark-Danielson Gymnasium on Monday night. In a contest consisting of several lead trades and a true fight to the last-second finish, the Rams' late-game surge was not enough as they were barely edged by the number three seeded Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) Vikings by a final score of 75-72.

Game Recap

A championship atmosphere was present throughout all 40 minutes of the contest. As a result of allowing just over 100 fans in attendance under new institutional COVID-19 protocols, Clark-Danielson Gymnasium showcased a battle that would come down to the final few possessions. In the opening minutes of the game, the Rams went on an 8-2 that was fueled by multiple defensive stops that turned into fast-break opportunities. Kadija Conteh (London, UK, City of London Academy) and Joelle Talso (Ramsey, MN, Spring Lake Park High School) controlled the game's tempo early on and were fundamental to the Rams' offensive success. At the 0:44 mark in the first quarter, Naomi Hagstrom (Zimmerman, MN, Zimmerman High School) converted on a three that allowed the Rams to jump out to a 17 to 13 lead. North Central led for all 10 minutes of the first quarter and managed to shoot an efficient 7-of-11 from the field. The Vikings came out strong in the second quarter and took the lead for the first time on a layup at the 8:13 mark. Over the next five minutes of action,  Bethany Lutheran managed to jump out to a 26 to 19 lead by knocking down a couple of triples. After limiting the damage and slowing down the Vikings' surge of perimeter shooting, the Rams went into halftime down 36 to 27.

The second half started with BLC building on their first-half momentum, stretching their lead to a game-high 13 points. Despite the slow start offensively for NCU in the third quarter, the Rams battled back and continuously stayed within striking distance the entire way. Emily DiGiorgio (Ironwood, MI, Luther L. Wright High School) controlled the post on offense while Kadija Conteh commanded the three-point arc, drilling three triples and allowing North Central to keep the score within reach heading into the fourth quarter down 14. The final 10 minutes of the period showcased a gritty comeback from the women in blue and gold. In a stretch where NCU shot a collective 10-of-15 from the field and 50 percent from three, the Rams clawed their way back into the game. At the 4:54 mark, Hagstrom stole the ball and dished it to Jocelyn Talso (Ramsey, MN, Spring Lake Park High School) for a fast-break layup that cut the lead down to seven, forcing the Vikings to call a timeout. With 46 seconds left to play, Hagstrom dialed-in a jump shot that gave the Rams their first lead since the first quarter. With the score sitting at 69 to 68 in favor of NCU, BLC answered with a layup on the other end to go back up by one point. After multiple exchanges of the lead in the final minute by both sides' aggressive offensive assaults, Bethany Lutheran eventually held North Central scoreless in their final two possessions to close out the game and come away with the victory.

Head Coach Paul Brunner had a few words to say about the team and the historic season that they were able to accomplish during their 2020-21 campaign.

"This team made history this season, and I am so proud of them. Their character led the way. The resiliency, maturity, and leadership that they showed day in and day out impacted our program in a major way. Great days ahead for NCU women's basketball. I love being their coach."

Key Performers

• Kadija Conteh put on a firework display of offensive efficiency for the blue and gold. The United Kingdom product netted 28 points and came down with five rebounds to always keep North Central within striking distance the entire game.
• Junior center Emily DiGiorgio finished just shy of a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. DiGiorgio was also 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.
• Naomi Hagstrom (Zimmerman, MN, Zimmerman High School) chipped in a steady 14 points and six rebounds.
• Driving the ball continuously all night, Joelle Talso had 11 points on the night along with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Looking Ahead

Despite falling their final contest of the year, NCU women's basketball officially closes out 2020-21 as regular-season UMAC Champions with an overall record of 18-3 and 7-1 in the UMAC. Looking back, this past season was historic for NCU women's basketball from both a team perspective and an individual aspect. Making a profound impact in her freshman season was Joelle Talso (Ramsey, MN, Spring Lake Park High School), while several key returners to the Rams' rotation, including Kadija Conteh, Emily DiGiorgio, Naomi Hagstrom, and Jocelyn Talso, all put up career-highs in at least one individual category. The program saw history being made in several ways, including total wins with 18, winning percentage with .818, conference winning percentage with .875, being awarded as UMAC regular-season champions, and notching the first two UMAC postseason tournament wins ever. Looking ahead, we encourage fans to stay tuned to official NCU Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all updates and offseason information for North Central women's basketball.