Winona, MN -- Saturday, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team continued its early-season road slate with a non-conference matchup against the Saint Mary's University (SMU) Cardinals. The Rams entered the contest looking to build momentum in the opening weeks of the 2025-26 campaign, emphasizing defensive intensity, rebounding dominance, and balanced scoring against a strong Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). Today, NCU executed that formula from start to finish, earning a 71-63 road victory behind a combination of efficient bench scoring, second-chance points, and timely defensive stops.

Both teams came out slow, with neither team scoring in the first three minutes of action. Senior guard Remy Wedgeworth-Brown eventually opened the scoring from beyond the arc before junior guard Jamisen Young attacked the lane for a go-ahead layup. The first major spark came from junior forward Jax Effertz, who entered off the bench and instantly lifted the offensive rhythm. Effertz buried back-to-back three-point field goals, part of his 14 first-half points, and fueled a 19-11 advantage as the Rams caught fire from deep. NCU connected on eight three-point field goals in the half while shooting 36.4% from long range. Defensively, forwards Elijah Smith and Josh Hoffman set the tone inside, combining for multiple rebounds that limited SMU's second-chance opportunities. Junior forward Connor Yslas added key physicality with 5 early rebounds and trips to the free-throw line. As the half progressed, NCU continued to stretch its lead. Senior guard Carmello McNeal drilled a deep three-point field goal at the 8:47 mark, and junior guard Jayden Livingston capped the Rams' strongest offensive stretch with a transition three-point field goal assisted by Young, pushing the margin to 36-23. North Central entered the halftime break leading 36-27.

The Rams extended the margin immediately as Josh Hoffman drilled a corner three-point field goal to open the half. Moments later, Hoffman jumped a passing lane for a steal and threw down a transition dunk, electrifying the bench and giving NCU a 41-27 advantage. Hoffman continued his strong stretch with a put-back finish on the next trip down the floor, while Smith scored downhill to extend the lead to 46-31. When SMU attempted to close the gap, NCU responded with another timely shot from deep as Effertz connected on his fourth three-point field goal of the afternoon. Late in the half, Carmello McNeal and Remy Wedgeworth-Brown provided veteran composure. McNeal made a driving layup and added two free throws, while Wedgeworth-Brown delivered a clutch scoring sequence with a strong finish in the paint and two late free throws to maintain control. Young added the exclamation point with a fast-break layup off a steal from Hoffman, sealing the Rams' first road win of the season. North Central finished the game with a 46-35 rebounding advantage, 14 points off turnovers, and 39 bench points. The final score was 71-63 in favor of NCU.

Top Performers:

Jax Effertz: 17 points and 4-8 from three-point range
Jamisen Young: 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists
Remy Wedgeworth-Brown: 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists
Josh Hoffman: 7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals


Looking Ahead: 

North Central will hit the road for another non-conference matchup as they take on Carleton College on Wednesday, November 19, in Northfield, Minnesota. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM inside the West Gym. 

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