New Ulm, MN -- The North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team came out hungry to redeem themselves in a rematch against the Martin Luther (MLC) Knights. North Central lost the conference battle earlier on in the season in a tight contest at Clark Danielson Gymnasium. This contest had a similar outcome as the Knights would beat the Rams on the road 84-77.

As the first half began, both teams fought hard to get to the rim. Caitlyn Ryan and Mia Mabanag teamed up on offense to score a total of 12 points while the rest of the NCU offense shot an efficient forty percent rom the field. Neither team could get a 3 pointer to fall in the first quarter, which forced them to attack the basket more in quarter 2. The Rams were able to get the first separation of the game with Kaitlyn VanderPloeg's sharp shooting, gaining a five-point run in the second quarter. That lead continued as Destiny Hines scored back-to-back buckets to end the half, controlling the contest 36-31.

Out of the break, the Rams showed up with aggression and were able to lead Martin Luther through the first seven minutes. However, the Rams started struggling to get defensive stops, as the knights 60% shooting helps claw them back into the game. Staying within striking distance, MLC eventually would fight back to tie the game at 50-50 with 3:24 left in the the third. North Central would hang on to a slight 57-55 lead going into the fourth quarter of play. In the first four minutes, the teams would exchange 3 point bombs to keep the game tight. From there the tables turned, NCU was losing momentum due to turnovers, second-chance points, and offensive execution from the Knights. The Rams three point shooting would also cool off down the stretch, failing to keep up with the scoring attack from MLC. Mia Mabanag and Joelle Talso stepped up by carrying the team on the offensive in the final minutes of the game. Despite their efforts, North Central would lose the contest 77-84.

Click here to see today's stats 
 
Top Performers:

• Mia Mabanag (Danville, CA): 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists 
• Caitlyn Ryan (Papillion, NE): 19 points and 9 rebounds
• Kaitlyn VanderPloeg (Clear Lake, IA): 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks
• Joelle Talso (Ramsey, MN): 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists

 
Looking Ahead:

NCU finish their conference competition Saturday against their rivals Bethany Lutheran. They will play on the road at 4:45 p.m.

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