The opening half between the NDCL Lions and the St. Francis of Assisi Cougars set the tone for a gritty, hard-fought matchup. Both squads came out flying, diving for loose balls and battling on every possession. Early on, the score stayed tight at 7–7, with NDCL asserting itself inside while St. Francis kept pace from the perimeter.

As the half wore on, NDCL’s dominance in the paint began to tilt the game in their favor. The Lions’ rebounding and inside presence created second-chance opportunities that the Cougars struggled to contain. Despite some sharp shooting from St. Francis, foul trouble — eight team fouls before the break — proved costly, giving NDCL too many free looks at the line. At halftime, the Lions led 24–13, fueled by their control of the boards and steady interior play.

Coming out of the break, NDCL wasted no time extending its advantage. Unselfish ball movement and balanced scoring pushed the lead to 31–17 just five minutes into the half. Every player contributed as the Lions found rhythm beyond the paint, showing their versatility on offense.

The St. Francis Cougars battled back behind clutch outside shooting and defensive pressure that led to NDCL turnovers, narrowing the gap to 35–26 midway through the half. But the Lions quickly settled back in, knocking down shots from all over the floor and reestablishing control. Their depth and poise ultimately proved too much, as NDCL closed out a strong 49–32 victory over St. Francis in their first-ever appearance at this prestigious invitational tournament.