Ankeny, IA -- This evening, the women's basketball team from North Central University (NCU) competed in the semifinal of the NCCAA DII North Regional Tournament. Today, they competed against the #1 ranked Faith Baptist Bible College (FBBC) Eagles. The last meeting between these two teams in 2022 resulted in a win for NCU with a score of 78-53. Tonight, the Rams would defeat the Eagles once again with a final score of 71-56 to win their third straight NCCAA North Regional Title.

The first quarter of the game began favorably for the Rams as it was fueled by key plays from Kaitlyn VanderPloeg and McKenzie Latzke. Strong rebounding from North Central along with a late three-pointer by Savi Rael, helped extend the lead. Defensive efforts, including steals by Brycelyn Brewster, kept North Central in control as they closed the first quarter with a score of 19-11.

Quarter two displayed strong plays from the Rams both offensively and defensively. Latzke and Brewster added to the offensive momentum with timely steals and assists. Rael also made an impact, hitting a three-pointer to widen the gap. Defensively, Jackie Lindsay and Piper Flemming provided crucial rebounds, limiting Faith Baptist's second-chance opportunities. NCU went into halftime with a lead of 33-19.

Returning from the half, the Rams continued to dominate in the third quarter. Kaitlyn VanderPloeg anchored the defense with crucial rebounds and blocks, while McKenzie Latzke contributed with sharp passing and scoring. Brycelyn Brewster also fueled the offense, including a three-pointer as the Rams ended the third quarter, 51-46.

The final quarter of the game sealed the win for the Rams. The team's defensive pressure forced several turnovers, with Jackie Lindsay and Brewster each totaling 4 steals. As the game wound down, North Central's depth showed, with multiple players checking in to close out the win in dominant fashion. North Central concluded the night with a 71-56 win to advance to the region championship.

Top Performers:

• Kaitlyn VanderPloeg: 20 points and 12 rebounds
• McKenzie Latzke: 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists
• Brycelyn Bewster: 11 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds

Looking Ahead:

The Rams move on to the NCCAA DII Regional Championship to face the Crown College (CC) Polars on Wednesday, March 5th at 1:30 PM.

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