Minneapolis, MN -- Entering the first round of the UMAC Playoffs, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team returned to the Clark-Danielson Gymnasium for a postseason rematch against the No. 4-seeded Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) Vikings. With Saturday's victory securing their second consecutive conference title and the No. 1 seed in the UMAC Postseason Tournament, the Rams looked to carry that championship momentum into the semifinal round and punch their ticket to Saturday's title game. Despite a historic regular season that saw North Central claim back-to-back conference crowns, the Rams battled through adversity Wednesday night, falling 92-78.
North Central came out aggressive inside, as junior forward
Jax Effertz opened the scoring for the Rams with a strong finish in the paint. Senior guard
Remy Wedgeworth-Brown quickly found his rhythm, attacking downhill for multiple early buckets and converting an and-one opportunity to give NCU an early edge. Wedgeworth-Brown continued to pressure the defense in transition, scoring on a fastbreak layup and later knocking down a three-pointer off a kick-out from junior guard
Jayden Livingston. Effertz added a triple of his own midway through the half, extending the Rams' lead to 20-13. The Rams' interior presence was evident early, as they scored consistently in the paint. Senior forward
Josh Hoffman provided a major spark off the bench, finishing through contact and scoring on multiple drives. Hoffman tallied 8 first-half points, keeping NCU within striking distance as the game tightened. North Central shot just 39.5% from the field in the first half (15-of-38), and a late surge from the Vikings allowed them to build separation heading into the break. NCU trailed 50-39 headed into the break.
The Rams opened the second half with renewed energy.
Remy Wedgeworth-Brown immediately went back to work, scoring in the lane before Effertz added another interior finish to trim the deficit. Senior guard
Carmello McNeal knocked down a three-pointer at the 15:50 mark off an assist from Wedgeworth-Brown, cutting the lead to 62-49 and igniting the home crowd. Hoffman once again provided consistent offense in the paint, finishing through traffic and attacking the offensive glass. The senior forward was highly efficient, finishing the night 8-of-11 from the field for 17 points and 7 rebounds. Wedgeworth-Brown carried the scoring load throughout the second half, repeatedly slicing through the defense for mid-range jumpers and strong takes at the rim. The senior guard poured in a game-high 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting while adding 3 assists and 2 steals. Effertz contributed 13 points and 7 rebounds, while McNeal battled through defensive pressure to score 9 points and collect 6 rebounds. North Central shot slightly better at 50.0% from the field in the second half (15-of-30) and finished the game with 50 points in the paint. Unfortunately, it would not be enough as Bethany Lutheran held on for the 92-78 semifinal win, ending the Rams' UMAC tournament run.
Top Performers:
Looking Ahead:
Up next, the Rams now turn their attention to the NCCAA Regional in Ellendale, North Dakota, on March 2-4. Times and opponents for those games are TBD.
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