Minneapolis, MN -- Saturday afternoon, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team hosted another Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) contest against the Crown College (CC) Polars. In the previous meeting between these two competitors in the 2024 NCCAA DII National Championship, the Polars unfortunately got the best of the Rams. They were defeated 75-72 to end the season. Tonight, the Rams sought revenge as they dominated the Polars with a final score of 99-75. NCU made a season-high 16 threes and 6 different players were in double figures as the Rams were rolling offensively. 

North Central got their momentum going right from the jump as senior captain Tanner Holtman hit multiple three-pointers to get the Rams ahead early. Blue Smaller also assisted in offensive execution for NCU, as he excelled in transition, scoring several layups and contributing with 9 first-half points. Carrington McNeal was another standout, scoring from both beyond the arc and in the paint. North Central opened up their largest lead of the first half with 4 minutes left at 39-17. Although Crown was able to find some offensive success, North Central was relentless with their scoring and ended the first half of the game leading by 21, with a score of 47-26. 

Returning from the half, the Rams did not slow down offensively. Senior Cameron Thomas and junior Remy Wedgeworth-Brown got in on the three-point feeding frenzy early. Crown attempted a comeback with improved scoring in the second half, but North Central's defensive pressure and transition game were too much to overcome. The Rams stretched their lead further to 30 points, thanks to efficient shooting from Nik Feller, precision passing from Malik Siggers, and excellent rebounding from players like Carmello McNeal and Josh Hoffman. NCU put on a clinic on how to share the rock, totaling 25 assists, the most in a single game since 2022. Turnovers and defensive plays allowed North Central to dominate, and despite scoring spurts, Crown couldn't close the gap. Ultimately, North Central would go on to win with a final score of 99-75.

Top Performers:

• Remy Wedgeworth-Brown: 14 points and 3 assists
• Malik Siggers: 13 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals
• Carrington McNeal: 12 points and 3 assists
• Tanner Holtman: 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists

Looking Ahead:

On Wednesday, January 22nd, the Rams will travel to Ashland, Wisconsin to face the Northland College (NC) Lumberjacks. The game will begin at 5:30 PM.

All fans are encouraged to tune into the official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (X) pages for updates on men's basketball and all things NCU Athletics.