Mankato, MN -- This afternoon, the men's basketball team from North Central University (NCU) traveled to Mankato, Minnesota to face the Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) Vikings for the final game of the regular season. In the previous meeting between these two teams earlier this season, the Vikings defeated the Rams by a final score of 104-92 in Minneapolis. Today, North Central evened the season series as they defeated Bethany for the first time since 2016, 86-72. With today's win, the Rams are now the 2025 UMAC Regular Season Co-Champions and have secured the #1 seed in this year's postseason tournament for the first time in school history. 

NCU came out firing, opening the game with a 10-0 run powered by team captain Tanner Holtman's three-pointer and a strong defensive presence. The Rams maintained their momentum through the first half, fueled by the all-around play of Carrington McNeal and Cameron Thomas. McNeal showcased his versatility, contributing 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in the first half, while Thomas controlled the paint with 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Despite a late push from Bethany, NCU entered halftime with a 35-31 lead.

Bethany came out strong to start the second half, briefly cutting into the Rams' lead. However, NCU responded with a balanced offensive attack, shooting an impressive 68% from the field in the second half, including 7-10 (70%) from beyond the arc. Junior Remy Wedgeworth-Brown led all scorers with a stellar career-high 28-point performance on 9-12 shooting, including a perfect 5-5 from three-point range. Junior Carmello McNeal added 15 points and 9 rebounds, while Holtman chipped in 13 points, knocking down three key triples. Defensively, NCU was relentless, forcing 20 turnovers and capitalizing with 25 points off those BLC mistakes. Their effort on the boards was also crucial, out-rebounding the Vikings 42 to 35. The Rams' execution at the free-throw line (83.3%) helped maintain their lead down the stretch. North Central sealed the win at 86-72, earning them the title of UMAC Regular Season Co-Champions. 

Top Performers:

• Remy Wedgeworth-Brown: 28 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals
• Carrington McNeal: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 steals, and 4 assists
• Carmello McNeal: 15 points and 9 rebounds
• Cameron Thomas: 8 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks

Looking Ahead:

Up next, the Rams enter postseason play as they will host a rematch with the Bethany Lutheran College Vikings next Wednesday, February 26th. This semifinal matchup will tip-off at 7:00 PM from Clark-Danielson Gymnasium.

All fans are encouraged to tune into the official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (X) pages for updates on men's basketball and all things NCU Athletics.