FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. (Nov. 28, 2010) - The North Central College men's basketball team put its offensive struggles aside and leaped into the win column for the first time in the 2010-2011 season on Sunday, as five Cardinals scored in double figures in an 84-73 win at 25th-ranked Manchester College.
North Central shot 50 percent from the floor and made 25 of 31 free throws, including a 22 for 23 effort at the charity stripe in the second half, and never trailed in posting its first victory of the season.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Vince Kmiec and Kevin Gillespie keyed a game-opening 14-5 run by the Cardinals. After Manchester (2-1) narrowed the gap to 14-12, North Central responded with a 12-2 surge and took a 26-14 lead after a jumper by Derek Raridon with 7:34 to go in the first half.
The visitors led by as many as 14 points late in the first period and remained in front by double figures until just before halftime, when a three-point play by the Spartans' Nathan Ferch left the Cardinals' lead at 38-29 at the break.
Manchester scored the first six points of the second half and eventually tied the score at 43-43 with 13:30 to play, making five of its first six shots of the period. The Cardinals got six straight points from Landon Gamble to stay in front, and a run of seven straight points by Raridon restored North Central's advantage to 71-59 with 3:43 to play. The Cardinals were not threatened from then on, making 11 consecutive free throws in the final 2:11.
Raridon finished with a season-high 23 points to lead all scorers. Kmiec and Gillespie each scored 13 points, while Brian Evans scored 12 and Gamble finished with 10. Jack Burchett led the Cardinals with 10 rebounds and four blocked shots, and Gillespie finished with four assists.
Nathan Moss paced the Spartans in scoring with 18 points and Ferch scored 16. Jason Spindler blocked four shots for Manchester.
The Cardinals return home on Wednesday to host Albion College (Mich.) Tipoff at Gregory Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.
