MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- The North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team took on the University of Wisconsin Superior on the Saturday matchup. The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) teams gave the fans a thriller which went to the Yellowjackets with a final score of 75-70.

Game Recap

The Yellowjackets jumped out to an early, but the Rams didn't let it stay that way for long. NCU would quickly get within a couple points, but then UWS would break away again. The Rams struggled shooting, but their defense kept them in the game. NCU kept their heads when their shot wouldn't fall and put in maximum effort on the defensive end. With about nine minutes to go in the first half, the Yellowjackets were up by ten and looking to stretch that lead even more. Seth Fuqua (Colorado Springs, CO, The Vanguard School) hit a three pointer and the Rams fed off the energy that came with Fuqua's shot. After some baskets from Cameron Thomas (Aurora, CO, Grandview High School) and Konrad Bueckers (Pine River, MN) and many defensive stops, NCU went into halftime only down by two.

Coming into the second half, the Rams hit three three pointers, two from Tanner Holtman (Aurora, CO, Grandview High School) and one from Justin Castro (Kissimmee, FL, Gateway High School), to gain the lead. The Yellowjackets pulled away again but throughout the last 15 minutes, NCU clawed there way back into the game, continuing their high intensity defense and hitting more shots. With just a couple minutes to go, UWS just barely had the lead. A dominate dunk from Thomas and then a charge also taken by Thomas gave the Rams some momentum and got the fans on their feet. In the end, the Yellowjackets stole this game with some free throws in the closing seconds. 

NCU moves to 9-8 overall and 4-3 in the UMAC.

Key Performers

• Justin Castro led the team with 11 points, six assists, and two steals.
• With a big second half, Cameron Thomas added ten points and six rebounds.
• Also scoring ten points, Kayden Sund (Golden, CO) grabbed five boards.

Looking Ahead

The Rams get a break from UMAC action as they face the non-conference Oak Hills Christian College this Tuesday at 6 pm at home. All fans are encouraged to tune into official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages for updates on the men's basketball and much more information.