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Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

Feb. 12, 2011-- North Central College cut a 20-point first half deficit to just two points in the second half of play but was unable to come any closer, falling 73-65 to Carthage College in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin men's basketball game inside Gregory Arena on Saturday night.

The visiting Red Men (14-9, 7-5 CCIW) drained six three-pointers in the opening half, taking a 40-27 lead into the halftime intermission. Carthage's Steve Djurickovic drained the game's first bucket before the Cardinals (12-10, 8-3 CCIW) got a trey from Kevin Gillespie and a layup for Landon Gamble for the 5-2 advantage in what turned out to be North Central's only lead of the night.

A 15-4 Carthage run extended a nine-point lead into a 20-point buffer with 4:10 remaining in the first half. North Central scored nine of the half's final 11 points, punctuated by a Brian Evans three-point play with 41 seconds remaining, as the Cardinals trailed by just 13 at the break.

The Cardinals continued where they left off in the second half, whittling the deficit to just four with 13:50 remaining on a Landon Gamble layup. Carthage extended its advantage back up to nine with 10 minutes left before North Central closed to within two off a Derek Raridon three with 7:09 remaining. The Red Men once again built a nine-point buffer with 79 seconds remaining before the home side closed to within two with 25 seconds remaining after a three by Kevin Gillespie and a pair of treys from Raridon.

Carthage converted its six free throw attempts down the stretch to preserve the win and hand the Cardinals their first conference loss inside Gregory Arena.

Gamble finished the night with 19 points and six rebounds to lead the Cardinals while Raridon and Gillespie added 15 and 12 points, respectively. Brian Evans finished with five rebounds and a team-high six assists.

Djurickovic paced the Red Men with 23 points and 10 assists, hitting all 11 of his free throw attempts. Mitch Thompson added nine points.

The Cardinals face Illinois Wesleyan University on Monday at 7:30 p.m. inside Gregory Arena.