New Ulm, MN -- After a weather delay that caused Wednesday's game to be moved back a day, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team hit the road for a UMAC contest against the Martin Luther College (MLC) Knights. Coming off a dominant win versus Northwestern on Saturday, the Rams looked to keep their win streak alive. Tonight, NCU delivered one of its most complete offensive performances of the season. With the Rams' 105-87 victory over Martin Luther, the Rams move into first place in the UMAC standings at 8-3 and clinch at least a share of the UMAC Regular Season Title for the second straight year.
North Central wasted no time setting the tone. Junior forward
Jax Effertz opened the scoring with a strong finish inside before senior guard
Carrington McNeal buried an early three-pointer to give the Rams a quick 7-2 advantage. Moments later, McNeal ignited the bench with a fast-break dunk following a steal, stretching the lead to 14-6 and forcing an early timeout. The Rams' defensive pressure fueled their offense throughout the half. Senior guard
Carmello McNeal jumped passing lanes for steals, while
Carrington McNeal controlled the glass and protected the rim, tallying multiple blocks in the opening period. Senior guard
Remy Wedgeworth-Brown attacked the paint relentlessly, scoring at the rim and pushing the tempo in transition. Midway through the half, NCU built a double-digit cushion behind balanced scoring and efficient shooting. Sophomore guard
Ari Pierson and senior guard
Jaquan Adams provided valuable minutes, with Adams getting to the free-throw line repeatedly. Senior forward
Josh Hoffman gave the Rams a spark off the bench, finishing through contact and converting inside. In the closing minutes,
Carrington McNeal knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to keep the lead steady, and Hoffman capped the half with a layup in the final minute. North Central shot an impressive 57.6% from the field in the opening frame (19-of-33) and carried a 53-44 lead into the break.
The Rams came out of halftime determined to maintain control.
Carmello McNeal opened the scoring with a jump shot in the paint, followed by a layup and three-pointer by Wedgeworth-Brown to keep the offense humming. Despite brief pushes from the Knights, North Central consistently answered. Hoffman was instrumental in the middle portion of the half, converting multiple finishes inside and completing an old-fashioned three-point play to stretch the lead back to double-digits. Effertz added a timely three-pointer from the wing, and
Carmello McNeal splashed another from beyond the arc as NCU's advantage grew to 79-67.
Carrington McNeal continued his dominant two-way performance, cleaning the defensive glass and converting second-chance opportunities. A three-pointer from Wedgeworth-Brown at the 8:38 mark extended the lead to 85-69, and the Rams never looked back. The defensive intensity forced 15 turnovers on the night, leading to 20 points off turnovers and 16 fast-break points. North Central's offensive efficiency remained elite in the second half, shooting 58.8% from the floor (20-of-34) and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. The Rams dominated the paint with 60 points inside and received 32 points from the bench, showcasing their depth. NCU closed out the 105-87 victory with a 52-point second half.
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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 2:45 PM in the Clark-Danielson Gymnasium in Minneapolis, MN.
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