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

Box Score

CHICAGO (Feb. 10, 2010) - A 10-point halftime dissipated in short order for the North Central College men's basketball team on Wednesday at North Park University, and with it a chance to salvage a season split with the Vikings, as the Cardinals were defeated, 68-59, at North Park Gym.

Making 9 of its first 11 shots, North Central raced to a 20-10 lead in the first seven minutes of play. The Cardinals led by as many as 14 points before North Park closed the half with four points in the final 41 seconds and headed into the break trailing, 38-28.

The Vikings (11-11, 5-6 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) came out swinging in the second half, putting up eight unanswered points in the first 2:49 to trail by just a 38-36 count. North Central built its lead back up to 45-40 following Derek Raridon's three-pointer, and stayed in front until the Vikings' Roshawn Russell buried a three-pointer to put the hosts up, 52-51, with 8:47 to play.

North Park kept the pressure on once it got in front, scoring nine of the next 12 points. The Cardinals were limited to five points in the final six minutes and did not get closer than four points down the stretch. The Vikings shot 62.5 percent (15-24) from the floor in the second period while limiting North Central to 27.6 percent accuracy (8-29) during the same span.

Raridon finished with a game-high 22 points, while David Twyman turned in 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Reid Barringer added 10 points.

Emmanuel Crosby came off the bench to lead North Park in scoring with 16 points, while Jorge Gonzalez, another substitute, netted 14 points.

The Cardinals (11-11, 4-7 CCIW) travel to face 22nd-ranked Carthage College (17-5, 9-2 CCIW) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.