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

Box Score

LISLE, Ill. (Dec. 22, 2010) - A late first-half scoring drought proved to be too much for the North Central College men's basketball team to overcome on Wednesday, as the Cardinals lost a 70-61 decision to Benedictine University at the Rice Center.

North Central (3-6) fought off a slow start and kept pace with the Eagles before a 14-4 Benedictine surge just before halftime put the hosts in front for good. The loss spoiled a career-high scoring effort from North Central's Landon Gamble, who made 10 of 11 shots from the floor and scored 24 points in 17 minutes.

The Eagles (5-4) opened the game with a 12-4 lead, but Gamble scored North Central's next 11 points as the visitors battled back to trail by a 17-15 count. Gamble scored in the paint with 11:15 left in the opening period to tie the contest at 22-22, and his free throw with 10:39 to go gave the Cardinals their first lead at 23-22.

North Central, however, was held scoreless for the next six minutes as the Eagles pulled ahead once again. The Eagles got a three-pointer from Jerrell Tribble on their final posession of the first half and carried a 36-27 lead into halftime.

Benedictine led throughout the second half, pulling ahead by as many as 12 points. The closest the Cardinals got was six points on a pair of occasions midway through the period.

Gamble's field-goal accuracy (90.9%) matched the third-best single-game effort in North Central history. Derek Raridon added 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while CJ Goldthree turned in a team-best four assists.

Nate Green paced Benedictine with 20 points. Tribble put up 17 and Cameron Snelling totaled 11 points and 11 rebounds. 

The Cardinals return to action Monday, traveling to Rockford College for a 7 p.m. tipoff.