MORRIS, Minn. -- Finally back into conference play, the North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team took on Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) opponent, the University of Minnesota Morris (UMM). The Rams held strong in overtime to get the victory over the Cougars, 85-80.

Game Recap

Going into the game, NCU recognized that this would be one of their harder games of the season. So, right from the tip off, the Rams worked tirelessly to get the edge over the Cougars. NCU's first quarter put them up 22-15, establishing their dominance from the get-go, especially at the three point line. The Rams hit five shots from downtown in the opening ten minutes. As the shots started falling, it opened the key for post Emily DiGiorgio (Ironwood, MI, Luther L. Wright High School), as she made basket after basket.
 
The Cougars chipped away at the Rams lead in the second quarter and were able to make the game more competitive. Joelle Talso (Ramsey, MN, Spring Lake Park High School) was everywhere in NCU's zone, closing out on multiple of UMM's players to keep them from scoring. Talso turned that defense into offense with seven assists in the game. Despite the second quarter going to the Cougars, the Rams were only down one possession going into halftime.
 
UMM hit some shots going into the third, but the Rams held their composure and slowly cut down the Cougar's lead. Aubrey Robinson (Colorado Springs, CO, Sierra High School) really heated up in the second half as she hit a pair of clutch three point shots and strongly took it to the rim multiple times. NCU went up by 11 in the fourth quarter, but UMM came right back in the last minute. With less than a second to go, the Cougars hit a three to tie the game and send it into overtime.
 
Even with all the excitement and momentum changes, NCU was a strong, steady force, and played smart basketball in the extra five minutes. The Rams quickly gained the lead through a three pointer from Naomi Hagstrom (Zimmerman, MN, Zimmerman High School) and a drive by Bethany Shield (Lincoln, NE, Lincoln Southwest High School). NCU then maintained the lead by Hagstrom and DiGiorgio sinking their free throws. Then, all the Rams had to do was to wait for the time to run out, as they secured their 12^th win of the season and remain undefeated.

Key Performers

• Emily DiGiorgio owned the paint with 29 points and nine rebounds.
• With three three pointers, Aubrey Robinson scored 21 points.
• Naomi Hagstrom also hit three shots from downtown adding 15 points and eight rebounds.

Looking Ahead

The Rams continue their season with more UMAC opponents as they matchup with #1 seeded Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) this Friday. The game will be held at BLC's court with a start time of 5:30 pm. All fans are encouraged to tune into official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages for updates on the women's basketball team and much more information.