Minneapolis, MN -- The North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team continued their non-conference stretch at home with a game versus the Grinnell College (GC) Pioneers. With the last meeting between these two teams occurring back in 2016, the Rams aimed to elevate their offensive execution, apply stronger defensive pressure, and find a win in front of an excited and energetic home crowd. However, despite a furious late-game push and multiple clutch performances, the Rams came up just short in a 63-58 battle.
North Central opened with early pace, as junior guard
NiNi Davenport scored in transition following a steal to put NCU on the board. Senior forward
Moriah McLendon added a quick finish inside off an assist from senior guard
Brycelyn Brewster, helping the Rams keep pace. Grinnell countered with a hot start from beyond the arc, forcing an NCU timeout. The Rams responded with a Davenport three and a McLendon jumper to narrow the gap, while freshman forward
Keiley Mahseet made her presence felt defensively with a block and a bucket inside. Still, Grinnell's perimeter shooting and late-quarter free throws extended the deficit, sending NCU into the break trailing 25-15.
NCU opened the second quarter with renewed defensive energy. Davenport knocked down a jumper, and the Rams forced multiple turnovers, including steals from Davenport and senior guard
Jackie Lindsay, that began shifting momentum. Mahseet added a strong finish inside, then Brewster followed with a second-chance tip-in to trim the margin. The Rams held Grinnell to just 7 points in the quarter, their best defensive stretch of the afternoon. Brewster added another jumper late, and a free throw in the closing seconds brought the score to 32-24 at the half.
The Pioneers again opened quickly, but NCU continued to battle on the glass and in the paint.
Brycelyn Brewster broke through with a layup, followed by a smooth mid-range finish from
NiNi Davenport. Still, Grinnell's timely three-pointers allowed them to rebuild their lead.
Keiley Mahseet and sophomore forward
Olivia Beach provided sparks off the bench: Mahseet with strong rebounding and a fastbreak defensive stop, and Beach scoring on a transition layup assisted by
Jackie Lindsay. Brewster knocked down two free throws to help NCU end the quarter on a positive note, but Grinnell maintained control heading into the fourth ahead 50-37.
North Central stormed out of the break with urgency, posting a 21-point fourth quarter in an attempt to mount a comeback. Lindsay drilled a mid-range jumper, Davenport connected from deep, and Brewster slashed into the lane for multiple finishes that trimmed the deficit to single digits. Mahseet powered through defenders for a key layup, and Lindsay buried a deep three to pull NCU within four at 53-49. Moments later, Davenport sank two free throws and followed with a put-back finish to make it a one-possession game at 57-54. With 1:33 remaining, Brewster converted a fastbreak layup to cut the deficit to 57-56, the closest NCU had been since early in the first quarter. Grinnell responded with a pair of late buckets and free throws, and despite several quality looks, including a final three-point attempt from Brewster, the Rams' comeback effort fell just short as the Pioneers held on 63-58.
Top Performers:
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Looking Ahead:
Up next, NCU hits the road for a non-conference matchup at Cornell College on Tuesday, November 25. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. inside the Richard and Norma Small Athletic Center in Mount Vernon, IA.
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