MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA— The North Central University men's basketball team opened its 2026-27 campaign in winning fashion on Saturday afternoon, welcoming Saint Mary's University to Clark-Danielson Gymnasium for a non-conference matchup. Coming off back-to-back NCCAA National Championships, the Rams looked to carry their momentum into a new season. Behind a balanced offensive attack, strong contributions from their bench, and a decisive second-half surge, North Central earned an impressive 84-70 victory to begin the season 1-0.
FIRST HALF
The Rams wasted little time getting their offense rolling, as senior forward Jacob Becher connected on a three-pointer off an assist from senior forward Jax Effertz to open the scoring. Junior guard Dewayne Givens followed with a layup before Becher added another basket inside, helping NCU jump out to a quick 7-0 advantage.
Senior forward Connor Yslas and Effertz continued the early momentum with baskets in the paint, extending the lead to 11-2. Yslas later converted a pair of free throws, while Givens added two more from the charity stripe to give the Rams a 15-6 advantage.
Despite the strong start, Saint Mary's responded with a scoring run to take a 21-17 lead with just over 13 minutes remaining in the half. North Central answered through its bench, beginning with junior guard Ari Pierson, who knocked down a three-pointer off an assist from freshman guard Lamont Michaels.
Yslas then made his presence felt defensively, blocking a shot before finishing a fast-break layup on the other end off an Effertz assist to put NCU back in front, 22-21. Michaels added two free throws, and Yslas connected from beyond the arc following a steal by Becher, stretching the advantage to 27-21.
The closing minutes featured several lead changes as both teams battled for control. Junior forward Jack (JT) Schradle provided an important spark off the bench, knocking down a three-pointer before finishing another basket inside. Sophomore guard Breven Anderson added a layup, and Pierson connected on his second three-pointer of the half to give North Central a 37-33 advantage.
After Saint Mary's trimmed the lead to one, Becher closed the half with a layup off an assist from sophomore guard David Diamond, sending the Rams into the locker room with a 39-36 halftime lead.
North Central recorded 14 first-half field goals, including five three-pointers, while distributing 12 assists. The Rams also received 17 points from their bench during the opening 20 minutes.
SECOND HALF
The second half opened with an intense back-and-forth battle as neither team could establish a comfortable advantage. Saint Mary's briefly took the lead before Michaels answered with a layup to put NCU back in front.
Effertz then provided consecutive baskets in the paint, helping the Rams regain a 47-46 advantage with just over 16 minutes remaining. Michaels added another interior finish to tie the game at 49 before the Cardinals moved ahead once again.
With North Central trailing 51-50, Schradle delivered a crucial three-point play, finishing through contact and converting the free throw to give the Rams a 53-51 lead with 11:27 remaining. Anderson followed with a layup to extend the advantage to four.
The Cardinals continued to battle, eventually reclaiming a 62-60 lead with just over eight minutes remaining. However, the Rams responded with what would become the defining stretch of the afternoon.
Yslas tied the game at 62 with a layup before Michaels converted two free throws to put NCU ahead. Moments later, Michaels knocked down a three-pointer off an Effertz assist, extending the lead to 67-62 and forcing a Saint Mary's timeout.
North Central continued building momentum as Becher found Yslas for a layup before Michaels connected with Anderson for a transition three-pointer, giving the Rams their first double-digit advantage of the second half at 72-62.
Anderson remained hot from beyond the arc, drilling another three-pointer with 4:11 remaining to extend the lead to 75-64. Becher followed with a layup off a Yslas assist, pushing the margin to 13 points.
The Rams' defense played an important role throughout the closing stretch, limiting Saint Mary's scoring opportunities while creating transition chances of their own. Becher converted another fast-break layup, and Effertz added a transition basket following a steal by Michaels.
Anderson provided the finishing touch, knocking down his third three-pointer of the second half with 11 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
North Central outscored Saint Mary's 45-34 in the second half, shooting an impressive 48.6% from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc over the final 20 minutes. The Rams closed the contest on a 24-8 run over the final 8:10, turning a two-point deficit into a commanding 84-70 season-opening victory.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Breven Anderson: Led the Rams with 15 points off the bench, shooting 6-for-10 from the field and 3-for-6 from three-point range. Anderson scored 11 points in the second half and committed zero turnovers in 20 minutes.
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Jacob Becher: Finished with 13 points, four rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Becher shot 6-for-9 from the field and committed zero turnovers in 30 minutes.
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Connor Yslas: Added 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal while shooting 5-for-11 from the field.
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Lamont Michaels: Made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, recording 11 points, a team-high eight rebounds (tied), five assists, and one steal.
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Jax Effertz: Contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
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Jack (JT) Schradle: Provided eight points and four rebounds off the bench, shooting 3-for-6 from the field.
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Ari Pierson: Added seven points and four rebounds, connecting on two three-pointers.
GAME NOTES
North Central showcased its offensive depth and ball movement throughout the contest, finishing with 22 assists on 31 made field goals. Seven Rams scored at least seven points, with six reaching double figures.
The Rams shot 43.7% (31-for-71) from the field, 37.0% (10-for-27) from three-point range, and 80.0% (12-for-15) from the free-throw line.
NCU also held a 44-39 rebounding advantage and outscored Saint Mary's 42-38 in the paint. North Central's bench contributed 30 points, while the Rams converted turnovers into 16 points.
Defensively, North Central limited the Cardinals to 34.8% shooting from the field and just 16.7% (4-for-24) from three-point range.
Perhaps most importantly, the Rams elevated their play when it mattered most, overcoming a game that featured 22 lead changes and 10 ties before pulling away in the final eight minutes.
UP NEXT
The Rams look ahead to Wednesday, November 11th as they host University of Wisconsin-Stout, in another non-conference match up. NCU will play at 7:00 PM next week, back at Clark Danielson Gymnasium (CDG).
