POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. — CIU men's basketball continued its postseason run Thursday evening, defeating host College of the Ozarks 88–70 in the semifinal round of the NCCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

The Rams controlled the game from start to finish, never trailing and building a 44–35 lead at halftime before matching that output in the second half to secure the 18-point victory.

Will Kelly led CIU with 18 points, setting the tone early with 16 first-half points as the Rams established control. Rhett Warga matched Kelly with 18 points off the bench, providing a major spark while also adding nine rebounds.

 

JJ Vaughan followed his record-setting performance in the quarterfinals with 13 points, while Jeffrey Clark, II added 12 points, four assists, and seven rebounds. The Rams had a balanced attack throughout, with multiple players contributing offensively.

CIU dominated on the glass, outrebounding College of the Ozarks 43–33, and received a strong interior presence from Johnny Whysong, who pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with seven points.

After building a double-digit lead late in the first half, the Rams maintained separation throughout the second half. A series of key runs midway through the period pushed the lead to double figures, and CIU extended its advantage to as many as 18 points in the closing minutes to put the game out of reach.

The Rams also benefited from strong bench production, totaling 39 points from non-starters in the win.

With the victory, CIU returns to the NCCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship game after reaching the title game in 2025. The Rams will face Lancaster Bible College (Pa.) on Saturday, March 21 at 2:00 p.m. CT.