St. Paul, MN -- The North Central University (NCU) women's basketball team hit the road Saturday afternoon for a key UMAC matchup against the University of Northwestern (UNW) Eagles. The Rams entered the contest looking to bounce back after a narrow 62-57 loss to Morris. With postseason positioning on the line in the final stretch of conference play, NCU responded with urgency and focus, securing a decisive 65-52 victory on the road. This marks the first season sweep over Northwestern since the 2020-21 season. Senior guard Brycelyn Brewster also achieved a major career milestone by surpassing 1,000 career points as a Ram. 

The Rams wasted no time asserting themselves on both ends of the floor. Senior guard Jackie Lindsay opened the scoring with a three-pointer off a steal, igniting a defensive tone that would define the quarter. North Central forced multiple early turnovers and converted them into points in transition. Senior forward Moriah McLendon established her presence inside, scoring repeatedly in the paint, including three early layups to push the Rams ahead. Graduate guard Kaye Serapio added a key three-pointer and followed her own miss for a putback jumper, extending the margin. Defensively, the Rams held the home squad to just 2-of-11 shooting in the quarter (18.2%) while forcing 8 turnovers. NCU shot an efficient 9-of-20 (45%) from the field in the period and closed the quarter on a 15-point advantage at 22-7.

North Central continued to apply pressure defensively, converting steals into easy scoring chances. Sophomore forward Olivia Beach provided a spark off the bench with strong rebounding and a pair of free throws following a steal, while Serapio and Lindsay disrupted passing lanes to generate fast-break opportunities. Despite a brief stretch of turnovers, the Rams controlled the pace and capitalized at the free-throw line. NCU went a perfect 8-for-8 from the stripe in the quarter, highlighted by free throws from Serapio and senior guard Brycelyn Brewster in transition. McLendon added another strong finish inside, and Serapio knocked down a mid-range jumper late to maintain separation. The Rams held the Eagles to just 35.7% shooting in the period and carried a commanding 38-20 lead into halftime.

The Rams opened the second half with authority. Senior guard Lydia Schroeder buried a three-pointer on the opening possession, assisted by McLendon, to extend the lead past 20. Moments later, Lindsay drilled another three off an offensive rebound to push the margin to 24. Brewster attacked downhill for a layup, and Serapio continued to score efficiently in the paint and at the line. McLendon added another strong finish inside, helping the Rams build their largest lead of the night at 26 points midway through the quarter.

With a sizable lead in the fourth, the Rams focused on managing the clock and maintaining defensive discipline. McLendon added two more layups early in the quarter, continuing her efficient scoring night (8-of-14). While the Eagles made a late push from beyond the arc, North Central's rebounding and interior defense prevented any serious threat. The Rams out rebounded Northwestern 39-36 overall and held them to just 28.8% shooting for the game. NCU secured the 65-52 road win over UNW.

Top Performers: 

• Moriah McLendon: 16 points and 3 rebounds
• Kaye Serapio: 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals
• Brycelyn Brewster: 11 points and 5 rebounds
• Jackie Lindsay: 6 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 steals

Looking Ahead: 

Up next, NCU stays on the road for another UMAC matchup, traveling to face Martin Luther on Wednesday, February 18th. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM inside the LSC Gym in New Ulm, 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.