Minneapolis, MN -- The women's basketball team from North Central University (NCU) returned home to Minneapolis to host the University of Northwestern (UNW) Eagles. This will be their second matchup of the season, with the first meeting resulting in a loss to the Rams, 73-49. This evening, North Central would fall to Northwestern once again, with a final score of 67-53. Despite a strong individual performance from
Kaitlyn VanderPloeg, who posted a dominant double-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks, the Rams were unable to overcome Northwestern's offensive scoring.
The Rams came out aggressive, feeding the ball inside to
Kaitlyn VanderPloeg, who established her presence early with a pair of strong finishes in the paint.
McKenzie Latzke added a key jumper, and
Savi Rael knocked down a three-pointer to keep NCU close in the opening minutes. Northwestern found success attacking the rim and hitting perimeter shots, but North Central's defensive pressure forced turnovers, allowing them to stay within striking distance. VanderPloeg closed the quarter with another inside bucket, keeping the Rams in contention at 22-17 after the first ten minutes.
The second quarter proved to be a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm offensively. The Rams' defense stepped up, limiting Northwestern's outside shooting while contesting shots in the lane. VanderPloeg continued to dominate the boards, pulling down key rebounds and swatting away multiple shots to keep Northwestern from extending their lead. However, NCU struggled to convert their own opportunities, managing just 8 points in the quarter. Despite their defensive grit, the Rams entered halftime trailing 36-25.
Coming out of the break, North Central looked to close the gap, with
McKenzie Latzke and
Brycelyn Brewster leading the charge offensively. Latzke buried a three-pointer to ignite the offense, and
Kaitlyn VanderPloeg remained relentless in the paint, scoring on consecutive possessions.
Jackie Lindsay provided a spark off the bench with strong rebounding and a mid-range jumper to keep momentum on the Rams' side. However, the Eagles continued to find ways to score in transition and extend their lead. Despite the Rams' effort, they trailed 56-39 heading into the final frame.
The Rams refused to back down in the fourth quarter, showing resilience on both ends of the floor. VanderPloeg continued her stellar performance, finishing tough shots inside and knocking down free throws. Latzke added another jumper, while
Piper Flemming and Brewster provided strong defensive efforts to force Northwestern into contested shots. North Central put together a late run to cut the deficit, but the gap proved too large to overcome. Despite a hard-fought battle, the Rams ultimately fell 67-53 at home.
Top Performers:
Looking Ahead:
The women will host another matchup at home against the Martin Luther College (MLC) Knights. The game is set for Wednesday, February 19th at 7:15 PM.
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