St. Bonifacius, MN -- The North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team continued its road trip on Saturday afternoon with a UMAC Conference matchup against the Crown College (CC) Polars. Coming off a strong performance against UM-Morris earlier this week, the Rams carried that momentum into St. Bonifacius and put together a resilient four-quarter effort to secure a 59-49 road victory.
North Central opened the game aggressively, getting on the board early at the free-throw line, but the Rams faced a physical opening stretch that saw the Polars knock down perimeter shots and build an early lead. Junior guard
NiNi Davenport sparked the offense with steady shot-making, while senior forward
Moriah McLendon and senior guard
Brycelyn Brewster helped keep NCU within striking distance. Despite forcing turnovers and creating transition opportunities, the Rams trailed 19-12 at the end of the first quarter.
The Rams flipped the script in the second quarter with their most efficient stretch of the game. Davenport buried a pair of three-pointers to ignite a run, and McLendon went to work in the paint, scoring through contact and getting to the free-throw line. North Central shot 50% from the field in the quarter and outscored the opposition 21-8, highlighted by crisp ball movement and improved defensive pressure. NCU closed the half on a strong note, taking control of the game at 33-27 heading into the break.
North Central maintained its composure coming out of halftime, leaning on balanced scoring and interior finishes to extend the lead. Brewster converted at the rim, while Davenport knocked down another three during a decisive stretch that pushed the Rams' advantage to double digits. The Rams continued to win the rebounding battle and limited second-chance looks, helping them stay in front at 44-38 despite a slower offensive pace.
In the final period, North Central delivered timely baskets whenever momentum threatened to shift. McLendon controlled the paint offensively, Davenport finished strong at the rim and at the free-throw line, and senior guard
Jackie Lindsay came up with a key late three-pointer to stretch the lead. The Rams closed the game by converting at the line and forcing turnovers, holding firm defensively to seal a hard-fought conference road win to improve to 3-1 in UMAC play.
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Looking Ahead:
Up next, NCU stays on the road for another UMAC matchup, traveling to face Bethany Lutheran on Saturday, January 24th. Tip-off is set for 1:00 PM inside the North Gym in Mankato, MN.
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