WILLMAR -- The height of North Dakota State College of Science was too much for Ridgewater, again, as the Wildcats trounced the Warriors 88-63 Monday.
NDSCS started 6-10 Touhami Ghazoul -- who finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds -- and 6-11 Joe Dorsett on their front line. Remington Stemler, a 7-footer, came early off the bench and put in six points and grabbed six rebounds in seven minutes.
But its not just its height that makes the 16th-ranked team in NJCAA Division I so formidable. The Wildcats have speed, shooting and play tough defense, provoking 17 Ridgewater turnovers in the first half. Abe Kpaka netted a game-high 30 points behind seven 3-pointers.
Ridgewater, which lost 93-82 at Wahpeton, N.D. to these same Wildcats on Nov. 29, trailed 44-22 at intermission.
The Warriors had very little luck going inside. Their best offense was an eight point run on back-to-back three-pointers by Micah Oates-Jenkins and a 16-foot baseline by Alllen Huslid that made it 29-19.
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"They beat us on the boards, and we didn't shoot well," said Ridgewater coach Bob Knutson. "To beat a team like that and stay with a team like that you have to rebound and make your free throws and we didn't do that."
NDSCS outrebounded the Warriors, 51-35.
David Johnson had 16 points and nine rebounds to pace the Warriors (3-5). Oates-Jenkins followed with 12 points as Ridgewater shot 39 percent (22 for 57) from the floor.
NDSCS 88, Ridgewater 63
NDSCS (12-1) 44 44 -- 88
Ridgewater (3-5) 24 39 -- 63
NORTH DAKOTA STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE - 33-74 FG (9-23 3 pt); 13-17 FT; 51 rebounds; 16 fouls ... Scoring: Kendall Proell 1-2 0-0 2, Sammy Ricks 1-7 0-0 2, Ryan Rozell 4-7 0-2 10, Abe Kpaka 9-16 5-5 30, Jarod Stradinger 0-0 2-2 2, Touhami Ghazoul 6-15 2-2 14, Jason Charles 1-1 0-0 2, Andy Rosckes 3-4 0-0 6, Matt Geiselhart 1-2 0-0 4, Remington Stemler 3-6 0-2 6, James Eayrs 2-8 2-2 6, Joe Dorsett 2-4 0-0 4 ... 3-point shots: Kpaka 7-12, Rozell 2-4 ... Rebound leaders: Ghazoul 10, Stemler 8, Ricks 6, Rosckes 6 ... Assist leader: Ricks 13 ... Steal leaders: Ricks 10, Geiselhart 3, Eayrs 3
RIDGEWATER - 22-57 FG (8-27 3 pt); 11-26 FT; 35 rebounds; 13 fouls ... Scoring: Andrew Ford 1-2 0-2 2, Tim Dreier 2-4 0-0 6, Allen Huselid 2-6 1-2 5, Micah Oates-Jenkins 3-7 4-6 12, Issac Brehmer 2-3 2-3 6, David Johnson 5-15 4-13 16, Geoffry Nelson 2-6 0-0 5, Travis Nordling 1-4 0-0 3, Chris Letendre 1-2 0-0 2, Travis Schultz 3-6 0-0 6 ... 3-point shots: Dreier 2-3, Johnson 2-5, Oates-Jenkins 2-6, Nordling 1-3, Nelson 1-4 ... Rebound leaders: Johnson 9, Oates-Jenkins 5 ... Assist leaders: Brehmer 4, Johnson 4 ... Steal leaders: Oates-Jenkins 2, Johnson 2, Nordling 2
