Pella, IA -- The North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team hit the road Saturday for a non-conference matchup against the Central College (CC) Dutch. This meeting marked the fourth straight season the two programs have faced off, with the Rams looking to reverse the recent trend after falling in the previous three matchups. North Central opened the game with confidence, attacking the paint early and setting the tone defensively to keep things close through the first quarter. However, consistent shooting runs from the home side and a decisive third-quarter swing ultimately pushed the Rams to a 75-62 road setback. 

North Central opened the afternoon with energy on both ends. Senior guard Brycelyn Brewster knocked down the first bucket of the game in transition, followed by a smooth jumper from junior guard NiNi Davenport. The Rams' early ball pressure paid off, producing multiple steals, including one from senior forward Moriah McLendon that led to another early score. Senior guard Lydia Schroeder kept NCU rolling with a deep three midway through the first, and freshman forward Keiley Mahseet delivered an immediate impact off the bench with back-to-back scores in the paint to push the Rams ahead at 13-6. NCU owned the offensive glass early and created several second-chance looks through aggressive rebounding from Schroeder, Olivia Beach, and Jackie Lindsay. Despite NCU's hot start, a late push from the home team closed the gap, and a final layup from Lindsay in the closing seconds cut Central's advantage to 20-17.

The Rams continued attacking inside as Mahseet opened the quarter with a jumper to pull NCU back within a possession. Davenport added another transition score after a steal from freshman guard Ailani Collazo, showcasing North Central's ability to create offense from its defense. Sophomore forward Olivia Beach fueled a mid-quarter spark, knocking down a pair of free throws before scoring again on a short jumper to keep the Rams within reach. Moments later, McLendon jumped a passing lane and converted a fast-break layup, bringing the deficit to 31-27. Davenport connected on a timely three at the 3:32 mark, and Schroeder followed with her second triple to make it a two-point game with under two minutes to go. Despite multiple defensive stops and several clean looks late, the Rams couldn't capitalize in the closing minute, allowing the Dutch to take a 37-33 lead into halftime.

North Central came out of halftime firing. Davenport drilled a three on the opening possession, and Brewster attacked the rim to give the Rams a brief 38-37 lead, their first since early in the first quarter. However, the third frame became the momentum shift of the game. Despite strong defensive rotations and a major block from McLendon, the Rams endured a cold stretch, shooting just 4-of-20 from the field. Central countered with multiple perimeter makes and capitalized on NCU turnovers. Mahseet stopped the drought with a strong finish inside midway through the quarter, and Brewster added a free throw late in the quarter, but Central's run pushed the margin to 57-41 entering the fourth.

Davenport opened the fourth with her fourth three-pointer of the afternoon, giving the Rams much-needed momentum. Sophomore forward Macy Petersen added a jumper off a clean assist from Brewster, who continued distributing effectively. NCU ramped up pressure late, leading to a steal and fast-break finish from Brewster that cut the deficit to 57-68 with under three minutes to go. Schroeder added four late free throws, and Davenport knocked down another key jumper to finish with a team-high 18 points. North Central continued to attack the glass and generate high-quality looks but could not close the gap in the final minute as Central held on for the 75-62 home victory.

Top Performers: 

NiNi Davenport: 18 points, 2 assists, and 4 three-pointers
Brycelyn Brewster: 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists
Lydia Schroeder: 9 points and 4 rebounds 
Olivia Beach: 5 points and 8 rebounds

Looking Ahead:

Up next, NCU returns home for its home opener in a non-conference matchup with Concordia University Chicago on Tuesday, November 18th. Tip-off is set for 6:30 PM inside Clark-Danielson Gymnasium in Minneapolis, MN.

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