Box Score Minneapolis, MN -- Entering the semifinal round of the NCCAA National Tournament, the North Central University (NCU) men's basketball team continued home court basketball for a matchup against the tournament's top seed Spurgeon College (SC) Knights. After winning with ease in their first matchup yesterday, the Rams looked to carry that momentum into Friday night and advance to the National Championship game on Saturday. In a high-energy, physical battle against a relentless full-court press, North Central matched the intensity possession-for-possession before pulling away late to secure a 96-81 semifinal victory and punch their ticket to the national title game for the third-straight year.
The semifinal matchup opened at a frantic pace as both teams applied constant pressure and attacked in transition. Spurgeon jumped out to an early lead, but the Rams quickly responded as senior guard
Carrington McNeal finished inside and helped ignite the offense. With the Knights applying full-court pressure on nearly every possession, North Central remained composed. Junior forward
Jax Effertz drilled a fast-break three-pointer to give the Rams their first lead, and moments later senior guard
Carmello McNeal added a jumper to keep the momentum going. The first half quickly evolved into a back-and-forth battle. Spurgeon's pressure defense created several quick possessions for both sides, but the Rams thrived in the up-tempo environment.
Carrington McNeal turned defense into offense with steals and fast-break finishes, while senior guard
Remy Wedgeworth-Brown helped break the press and set up transition opportunities. Midway through the half, North Central began to take control by attacking the rim. Senior guard
Jaquan Adams provided a major spark off the bench with two fast-break layups, while Effertz continued to stretch the floor with perimeter shooting. The Rams continued to push through the pressure late in the half, executing quick passes to beat traps and find open lanes. Senior forward
Josh Hoffman added a basket in the paint before
Carmello McNeal capped the half with a fast-break layup that energized the home crowd. After a fast-paced and physical opening twenty minutes, North Central carried a 44-35 lead into halftime.
The Rams came out of the locker room with the same intensity, immediately attacking the press and turning it into offense.
Carmello McNeal opened the half with a fast-break layup before Effertz connected on another three-pointer to push the Rams' lead to double digits. The Knights responded with a brief run fueled by offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities, trimming the margin to single digits. However, North Central maintained its composure against the relentless pressure and continued to push the tempo.
Carrington McNeal took over during a key stretch midway through the half, attacking the rim for consecutive baskets and creating scoring opportunities for teammates.
Carmello McNeal followed with a deep three-pointer before Hoffman converted inside following a turnover forced by the Rams' defense. North Central then delivered its decisive run of the game. Adams finished another transition opportunity before Wedgeworth-Brown attacked the basket to extend the lead to 16. Moments later,
Carmello McNeal converted back-to-back plays, including a steal and fast-break finish, to stretch the advantage to 20 points at 74-54. Even as the opponent continued to press full court and push the tempo late in the game, the Rams calmly handled the pressure. Strong ball movement and aggressive drives led to multiple trips to the free-throw line, where Effertz, Adams, and the McNeal's sealed the game. With the home crowd behind them and the tempo still electric until the final buzzer, North Central closed out the semifinal victory 96-81, advancing to the NCCAA National Championship game.
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Looking Ahead:
With the semifinal victory, North Central advances to the NCCAA Division II National Championship Game, set for Saturday at 4:00 PM inside Clark-Danielson Gymnasium. The Rams are set to face #6 Crown College.
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