Rams Get in Victory Column Verses Storm after Three Close Losses; Grilley Named to NWC Tip-Off All Tourney Team

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.-- North Central Men's Basketball has battled well in each of the first four games of the season but come up just short in three close losses before breaking through for their first win of the season.

NCU opened the season with a home game verses 2009 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Champion The College of St Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.) After controlling most of the first half with solid defense and good shooting the Rams took an 11 point lead to the locker room at half time. The Saints came alive in the second and rallied to take their first lead of the game with seven minutes left in the final half. The teams would trade the lead over the final minutes and Scholastica hit a tough three pointer in their final possesion to claim a 76-72 win. Senior Jeremy Grilley (Columbia Falls, Mont.) led North Central with 17 points and junior Ross Johnson (Kenosha, Wis.) tallied 15 points and pulled down a team high 7 boards.

North Central then traveled across town to play in the 2009 Northwestern College Tip-Off Tournment on November 20 & 21. The first night North Central renewed its rivalry with host Northwestnern (St. Paul, Minn.). Once again North Central played very well and traded the lead with the Eagles through out the game before Northwestern was able to hold off the Rams for an eight point win, 73-64. Jeremy Grilley posted a game high 23 points on an outstanding 10-14 shooting night from the floor while leading the Rams with 8 rebounds. Freshman Nathan Roeder (Hudson, Wis.) came off the bench to score 12 points and Ross Johnson added 11. 

The second night of the NWC Tip-Off North Central faced NCAA DIII Independant Finlandia University (Hancock, Mich.). For the third time in three games NCU would stand toe to toe with the opponent including building a 10 point lead with seven minutes to play. But the Lions rallied to tie with around two minutes left and eventually knocked off NCU 75-72. Senior Daniel Young (Crystal, Minn.) scored a season high 21 points. Ross Johnson and Jeremy Grilley each recorded a double-double as they scored 18 and 16 points respectively and each grabbing 11 rebounds. Grilley was also named to the NWC Tip-Off All-Tournament Team for averaging 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in two games. 

North Central next traveled to face UMAC rival Crown College (St. Bonifacius, Minn.) on November 24. This time out the Rams would take a close game and make it a pull away victory. After leading by as many as 11 in the first half and by as many as 16 in second, North Central turned back all Crown rallies to earn an 96-84 win over the Storm. North Central got balanced scoring with four players in double figures. Nathan Roeder led NCU with 23 points on 7-10 shooting. Ross Johnson, Jeremy Grilley, and Daniel Young each added 16, 14, and 11 respectively. 

The Rams will get back to action at home on Saturday with a visit from Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponent Luther College (Decorah, Iowa). That game tips at 2 pm. NCU will then travel to Duluth for a rematch with St. Scholastica on December 8 at 7:30 pm. They then go on to Aberdeen, S.D. for a battle with UMAC opponent Presentation College on December 12 at 7:30 pm. The first semester schedule wraps up with a home game rematch with Finlandia University on December 12 at 4 pm in the Clark-Danielson Gymnasium.