Menomonie, WI -- Wednesday marked another road test for the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team as they traveled to face the University of Wisconsin-Stout (UWS) Blue Devils in non-conference action. Recent meetings with UW-Stout have been tightly contested, including a narrow four-point finish in Minneapolis last season and a three-point battle in Menomonie in 2023. With both matchups decided in the final minutes, North Central entered this year's contest eager to flip the script and capture its first win against the Blue Devils in the current series. Tonight, the two squads traded blows for much of the evening behind efficient perimeter shooting from senior guard Carmello McNeal and a well-balanced team effort. Despite NCU knocking down 12 three-pointers and keeping the game level at halftime, a late surge from the home team created just enough separation as the Rams fell 75-64.

North Central opened the game with strong perimeter rhythm, striking first from deep as senior guard Carrington McNeal drained a three from the wing to answer an early bucket. Senior forward Elijah Smith followed by converting from beyond the arc and then attacking downhill for back-to-back layups, fueling an 8-2 NCU stretch that gave the Rams an early 10-6 advantage at the 15:56 mark. Senior guard Remy Wedgeworth-Brown added a driving finish shortly after, keeping NCU's offense in motion. Momentum remained tight throughout the half as the teams traded baskets. Senior guard Jaquan Adams provided a lift off the bench, knocking down all four of his first-half free throws to keep the Rams in front during a back-and-forth affair midway through the half. Junior forward Connor Yslas added a smooth mid-range jumper off the pick-and-pop, stretching the lead to 18-14 with 11:43 remaining. UW-Stout responded with interior scoring, momentarily jumping ahead before NCU countered with a burst from its perimeter shooters. Carrington McNeal drilled a pair of threes, including a deep right-wing triple at 1:54, and Carmello connected from long range with 29 seconds left, completing a 9-5 run that tied the game at 34-34. Junior guard Jamisen Young then attacked the lane for a buzzer-beating layup, sending the Rams into the break deadlocked 36-36. As a team, NCU shot 41.4% from the field and 33.3% from three in the opening period, hanging step-for-step with a physical Blue Devil frontcourt.

Coming out of halftime, the Rams continued to generate quality looks but saw several early shots rim out as the home team opened the half on an 8-0 run. After falling behind 44-36, NCU regrouped and shifted momentum behind a pair of timely threes. First, Wedgeworth-Brown buried a wing triple at 15:16, and moments later Adams drilled a catch-and-shoot three off an assist from Carrington, trimming the deficit to 50-42. NCU continued to battle from behind the arc, as Carmello knocked down a three at the 11:13 mark and Young added another in transition off a Carrington McNeal dime to pull within one possession at 50-53 with 10:47 remaining. Despite the push, UW-Stout capitalized on second-chance scoring and a series of interior finishes, re-extending the margin. Still, North Central refused to go away. Carmello hit his fourth three of the night at 5:30, and Wedgeworth-Brown powered through for a strong baseline layup at 2:05, cutting the deficit to 64-68m whci would be the closest margin in the final minutes. However, late free throws and a contested three from the hosts kept NCU from drawing any closer. The Rams shot an efficient 43.8% from three in the second half (7-16) and finished the night 12-31 overall from deep, marking one of their strongest perimeter outings of the season. Defensively, NCU forced nine turnovers and collected 29 defensive rebounds, but the difference came in the paint, where the Blue Devils used a 42-16 scoring advantage to create separation.

Top Performers:

• Carmello McNeal: 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 made three-pointers
• Carrington McNeal: 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists
• Remy Wedgeworth-Brown: 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists

Looking Ahead:

Up next, North Central returns home for a non-conference matchup as they host Buena Vista University on Tuesday, December 16th. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM inside Clark-Danielson Gymnasium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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