MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - The North Central University men's basketball team returned to Clark-Danielson Gymnasium on Wednesday evening for a non-conference matchup against the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Despite a competitive opening stretch, the Rams fell to the Blue Devils, 76-52, moving to 1-1 on the season.
FIRST HALF
North Central opened the scoring with a jumper from senior forward Connor Yslas. Senior forward Jax Effertz followed with back-to-back three-pointers to give the Rams an early 8-6 advantage.
The teams exchanged leads throughout the opening 10 minutes, with junior forward Jack (JT) Schradle and senior forward Jacob Becher contributing baskets. However, a late first-half run allowed UW-Stout to pull away. Yslas connected from beyond the arc, while junior forward Bennett Nicholson added two free throws before the break.
Halftime: UW-Stout 44, North Central 26
SECOND HALF
The Rams continued to compete in the second half, with Effertz providing an offensive spark from beyond the arc. He connected on two more three-pointers to finish the evening with a team-high 14 points.
Sophomore guard David Diamond, junior guard Dewayne Givens, and junior guard Ari Pierson also knocked down second-half three-pointers, while sophomore guard Cole Holtman contributed a basket off the bench.
North Central was unable to overcome the first-half deficit as UW-Stout secured the non-conference victory.
Final: UW-Stout 76, North Central 52
TOP PERFORMERS
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Jax Effertz: 14 points, six rebounds, four three-pointers, and one block.
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Connor Yslas: Nine points and two rebounds.
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Jack (JT) Schradle: Five points, a team-high nine rebounds, and three assists.
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Dewayne Givens: Five points, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
UP NEXT
The Rams move to 1-1 on the young season and will look to bounce back as they continue their non-conference schedule. North Central will host No. 8 ranked UW-Steven's Point on Saturday, at 3:00 PM.
