North Central Missouri College men's basketball put together an impressive offensive performance, securing a 96-79 victory over North Arkansas College to win the Central Plains District on Saturday. With the win, the 30-1 Pirates move on to the NJCAA DII National Tournament, which will be held in Danville, IL from March 17-22. NCMC's seeding will be revealed on Tuesday in the Selection Show at 2:00pm. This trip to Danville will be the Pirates fifth in seven years, a testament to the national power program Coach Esry has built.
NCMC shot a blistering 52.9% from the field in Saturday's win, led by a dominant outing from Camden Bennett. Bennett was nearly unstoppable, finishing with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-12 shooting, including four three-pointers. His efficiency and scoring touch provided a major boost as North Central pulled away in the second half.
Giovanni Mack added 24 points of his own, knocking down four shots from beyond the arc and showcasing his ability to create plays with five assists. Jon Carroll was a force in the paint, recording a double-double with 21 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. His presence on the boards helped North Central control the game despite North Arkansas winning the overall rebounding battle 43-35.
Tyler King chipped in 14 points while contributing six rebounds, and Joe Clark facilitated the offense with five assists, though he struggled from the free-throw line, missing all six of his attempts. Despite some struggles at the stripe, North Central's high-percentage shooting from the field more than compensated for their 51.7% free-throw success.
North Arkansas College fought hard, with Nicholas Huff leading the way with 15 points and Jaxon Berry pulling down an impressive 13 rebounds. Izaak Porter added 14 points, while Na'Kylan Starks stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. However, their 37.5% shooting from the field and 30.8% from three-point range couldn't keep pace with North Central's efficient offense.
Defensively, North Central limited turnovers, committing only one compared to North Arkansas' 12, which played a significant role in their ability to control the tempo. With balanced scoring and strong ball movement, North Central Missouri College's offensive firepower proved too much for North Arkansas, securing them the well-earned victory and trip to the national tournament.
