March 2, 2023 | by Taylor Pill

LEAD

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- The Sabercats' dramatic postseason run has come to an end, falling 52-97 to the top-seeded North Central Rams at the NCCAA North Region Tournament this afternoon.

The loss ends the Sabercats' season with a 5-22 record. The Rams, (16-10) continue on as the top seed in the North and the seventh-ranked team in the NCCAA DII.

OVERVIEW

• Result: #9 Maranatha 52-97 #1 North Central
• Venue: Pollard Fieldhouse - Emmaus Bible College
• Location: Dubuque, Iowa
• Event: NCCAA North Region Tournament - Quarter-Finals
• Attendance: -
• Records: MBU (5-22), NCU (16-10)

STORY

The Rams' shot selection throughout the game was impeccable, as they kept the ball moving all around the arc, shooting an alarming 17-27 from downtown and just shy of 60 percent from the field.

Micah Filer, the NCCAA North Region Player of the Year, was the danger man for NCU, scoring 19 points off of 8-11 shooting, but the Rams' precision was matched only by their depth. Twelve different players contributed points for the top-seeded Rams, and going into halftime, it was 50-21.

The second half was a similar story even though the Sabercats tightened up their game and reduced the deficit of the half itself by nine points. Maranatha tidied up their possession and created slightly better looks, but the story of the game was that of contested shots. 

At the sound of the horn, the Sabercats saw their season end to a powerhouse force in the NCCAA, losing the second half 31-47 to take the loss.

Seniors Josh Davis and Malachi Herbster both played their final games in the Blue and Gold for Maranatha. Davis logged a team-high nine points and added two rebounds; Herbster had seven points, five boards, and three assists.

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Maranatha Starters: 0- Woodward, 2- Cox, 15- Davis, 21- Moultrie, 24- Herbster

STATS

• Box Score
• MBU: shot 31.7 percent from the field
• NCU: shot 59.6 percent from the field
• Last time: Maranatha fell to North Central earlier this season on December 3rd, with a final score of 58-90
• Series: North Central currently leads the all-time series against Maranatha 11-8

OPPONENTS

• North Central competes in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (NCAA-DIII)
• North Central also competes alongside Maranatha in the NCCAA North Region
• North Central finished the '21-'22 season with a record of 16-11
• North Central did not make the UMAC Tournament this year

NEXT

A full recap of the season will be forthcoming at mbusabercats.com.