FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Box Score

Jan. 23, 2010 - Done in by potent perimeter shooting, the North Central College basketball team fell to 1-5 in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin and 8-9 overall with an 81-71 loss to Augustana College Saturday evening at Gregory Arena.

The Vikings (11-6, 4-2 CCIW) canned 10 of 22 three-point shots in the contest and made several clutch shots down the stretch to turn back a game effort from North Central.

The Cardinals trailed throughout the early going by as many as five points, but rallied and took a brief 22-21 lead after a layup by Derek Raridon with 8:28 to play. Augustana regrouped and strung together a series of baskets to regain the lead at 30-25 following a pair of inside buckets by Kyle Nelson.

A free throw by David Twyman and a jumper and layup from Raridon tied the score at 30-30. The Vikings' Matt Pelton knocked down a three-pointer and Reid Barringer responded in kind for North Central, but Pelton struck once again from beyond the arc to put the visitors back in front. A jumper by Raridon and a three-point play from Twyman secured the lead for the Cardinals, who wound up carrying a 41-39 edge into halftime.

A 6-0 run shortly after play resumed got the Vikings back in front, but a jumper from Twyman and a triple from Raridon negated the visitors' progress. Augustana pulled in front once again at 54-50, but Barringer and Jon Knapczyk scored on consecutive trips down the floor to level the count at 54-54 with 12:57 left.

With the score tied yet again at 64-64, Pelton hit from beyond the arc and Mike Avallone scored to give the Vikings a five-point edge. Twyman canned a pair of free throws and fed Brian Evans for a bucket, but Augustana answered with a jumper by Kyle Nelson and another three-pointer from Pelton to pull ahead for good.

Twyman scored 22 points on 7 of 9 shooting from the floor for North Central, while Raridon scored 19, Barringer put up 12 and Evans scored 10. Evans grabbed four rebounds and Knapczyk finished with four assists.

Nelson paced Augustana with 22 points on 11 of 13 shooting, with Pelton, who made 6 of 9 three-point shots, finished with 19.

North Central travels to face Elmhurst College (5-12, 0-6 CCIW) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.