LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Dec. 19, 2008) - The North Central College men's basketball team showed no signs of jet lag in its first game at the Las Vegas Hoopla on Friday, bolting to an early lead and holding on for a 69-66 victory over McMurry University (Tex.) at the Centennial Hills YMCA.

The Cardinals (6-2), winners of three straight games, jumped out to a 13-2 lead at the start of the game, and stayed in front until McMurry tied the contest at 30-30 with 1:54 left in the first half. Three straight free throws by Dominique King (Sr., ;Plainfield, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) put North Central back in front, and the Cardinals carried a 33-32 advantage into halftime.

The lead changed hands six times early in the second period until a layup and a three-pointer by King turned a 47-46 edge into a 52-46 advantage with 7:08 left in the game. Leading, 54-50, North Central scored nine straight points in a four-minute span to pull ahead, 63-50, with 2:21 to play.

McMurry (3-3) went on an 8-0 run to get back into the game, but consecutive baskets by David Twyman (Jr., Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) and Chris Drennan (Sr., Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community) kept North Central in front.

Drennan was a perfect 7 for 7 from the floor in scoring a game-high 20 points, while Mitch Raridon (Sr., Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Northeast) added 13, Twyman scored 12, and Reid Barringer (Jr., Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) tallied 11. Raridon grabbed a team-best six rebounds, while Twyman and Dean Prince (Sr., Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) each ended the day with five assists.

North Central finishes its two-game series in Las Vegas on Saturday, taking on the University of Mary Washington (Va.) at 4 p.m. local time.