Box Score Morris, MN -- This evening, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team made their way to Morris, Minnesota to face the University of Minnesota-Morris (UMM) Cougars for the second time this season. In the previous meeting between these two teams, the Rams took the victory over the Cougars with a final score of 78-56. Tonight, North Central sought to sweep the Cougars in the regular season, settling the score at 79-66.

To begin the first half of the game, their defense set the tone with multiple steals, coming away with those were Remy Wedgeworth-Brown, Carrington McNeal, and Malik Siggers. The Rams were able to make quick work of those turnovers, converting fast-break opportunities for some easy points in transition. Key players like McNeal, Cameron Thomas, and Tanner Holtman contributed significantly, with McNeal connecting on a pair of layups and a three-pointer, while Thomas added a deep three and several key rebounds. North Central continued to build their lead, securing a comfortable margin and maintaining control despite some timely turnovers. Their defense was also pivotal, blocking shots and grabbing key rebounds, particularly from Thomas and Nik Feller. The Rams looked poised to cruise into halftime, but coughed the ball up a couple times to end the half, allowing the Cougars to cut the deficit going into the break. 

Clinging to a 36-30 lead, the Rams sought to seal their victory in the final frame. Key players contributed significantly, with Carrington McNeal leading the way, scoring efficiently in the paint and adding free throws to help his team maintain their lead. Tanner Holtman had an impressive 3-point shooting performance on the night, connecting on a big three-pointer midway though the second half, pushing his total to four makes on the night from deep. The defense was active, with several steals and rebounds, including standout moments from Thomas, who provided defensive stops around the paint, keeping the Morris big men at bay. The team's depth showed as they managed to maintain a steady ten man rotation throughout the game, keeping up the pressure and forcing turnovers. Despite a late push from the Cougars, North Central held firm, securing a 13-point win and a final score of 78-56. With the victory, the Rams move to 8-3 in the conference and 14-8 overall, good enough to keep them tied for first in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) with just three regular season games to play.

Top Performers:

• Carrington McNeal - 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals
• Tanner Holtman - 18 points and 2 steals
• Malik Siggers - 17 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals

Looking Ahead:

The Rams will return home to Minneapolis to host a matchup against the University of Northwestern (UNW) Eagles. The game is scheduled for Saturday, February 15th at 3:00 PM.

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