New Ulm, MN -- Wednesday, the North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team braved the elements as they hit the road for a conference matchup against the Martin Luther College (MLC) Knights. Coming off a win versus Northwestern on Saturday, the Rams entered tonight's game one win away from securing the fourth and final spot in the 2026 UMAC Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament. Behind a dominant fourth quarter and clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch, NCU earned a 61-54 victory over the Knights to clinch a playoff berth and secure the fourth seed in this year's postseason tournament. 

The Rams found themselves in an early battle as both teams traded defensive stops and perimeter looks. Senior guard Jackie Lindsay opened the scoring for NCU with a strong finish in the paint, and sophomore forward Olivia Beach provided an early spark off the bench with a putback tip-in to keep the Rams within striking distance. Junior guard NiNi Davenport connected from deep midway through the quarter, briefly giving North Central its first lead. However, Martin Luther capitalized on second-chance opportunities and late threes to regain momentum. NCU shot just 30.8% from the field in the opening frame and went 1-for-5 from beyond the arc. After one quarter, North Central trailed 16-11.

NCU began to settle in offensively in the second period. Davenport hit a pull-up jumper to cut the deficit, and senior guard Brycelyn Brewster followed with a key three-pointer as the Rams chipped away possession by possession. Beach continued her strong interior play, converting another putback to keep the pressure on. Senior forward Moriah McLendon battled inside for rebounds, helping NCU limit second-chance damage while creating additional opportunities. The Rams shot slightly better at 37.5% and held MLC to just 18.8% in the quarter to trim the gap to just three points heading into halftime. Brewster buried a three in the final seconds to swing momentum toward the Rams. At the break, North Central trailed 28-25.

The third quarter featured multiple lead changes as both sides traded runs. Davenport sparked the Rams with a three-pointer and a mid-range jumper, while senior guard Lydia Schroeder drained a triple to tie the game at 31-31 midway through the frame. McLendon controlled the glass throughout the quarter, finishing the night with a game-high 11 rebounds. Beach once again made her presence felt inside with another second-chance bucket, and sophomore guard Kaye Serapio attacked the rim late in the period, converting a three-point play in the final seconds to pull NCU within striking distance. North Central shot an efficient 50% from three-point range in the quarter. Still, the Rams narrowly trailed 43-40 heading into the final period.

With a postseason berth within reach, the Rams delivered their most complete quarter of the night. Davenport opened the frame with a clutch three-pointer to once again tie the game at 43-43, igniting the NCU bench. Brewster then took over offensively, scoring multiple times in the paint and finishing a fastbreak layup off her own steal to give North Central a 49-45 advantage. The Rams' defensive intensity tightened, holding the Knights to just 3-for-15 shooting (20.0%) in the quarter. Meanwhile, NCU shot 46.2% from the floor and attacked the line late. Davenport hit another critical three to extend the lead to five, and Schroeder sealed the game at the charity stripe, going 5-for-6 from the line on the night and converting four free throws in the final 25 seconds. North Central poured in 21 fourth-quarter points, its highest-scoring period of the game, to secure the 61-54 victory.

Top Performers:

• NiNi Davenport: 17 points and 4 three-pointers
• Brycelyn Brewster: 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists
• Olivia Beach: 8 points and 6 rebounds

Looking Ahead:

Up next, NCU returns home one last time for their regular season finale on Saturday, February 21st, as the Rams take on Bethany Lutheran College on Senior Day. Tip-off for that game is set for 1:00 PM in the Clark-Danielson Gymnasium in Minneapolis, MN.

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.