FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
Feb. 16, 2013 - Enjoying its most efficient offensive production of the season, the North Central College men's basketball team treated its home crowd to a dominant Senior Night performance on Saturday, roasting the North Park University Vikings, 88-61, at Gregory Arena.
The eighth-ranked Cardinals (21-3, 10-3 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) improved to a perfect 12-0 at home this season, shooting a season-best 68.6 percent (35 of 51) from the floor and leading comfortably throughout the second period.
Early on, however, it was North Park which had the hot hand, as the Vikings made eight of their first 12 shots from the floor and owned a 19-10 advantage after just over six minutes of play. North Central regrouped and made six of its next seven field-goal attempts, tying the score at 24-24 on Vince Kmiec's three-pointer and pulling back in front on a jumper by Kmiec with 9:41 on the first-half clock.
North Park (6-18, 1-12 CCIW) briefly tied the score after Zach Cassita sank a jumper on the Vikings' next possession, but the Cardinals scored 11 of the next 14 points to lead, 37-29. North Central went into halftime with a 47-39 advantage, having made 72.0 percent (18 of 25) of its field-goal tries to outdo the Vikings' 57.1 percent accuracy (16 of 28).
The hosts controlled the action at both ends of the floor for the first 10 minutes of the second period to take the game by the throat, outscoring the Vikings, 23-4. The Cardinals held North Park without a field goal for the first 8:30 of the second half, by which time North Central had built a 23-point advantage. The Cardinals led by as many as 27 points down the stretch, shooting 65.4 percent (17 of 26) after halftime.
The Cardinals' Landon Gamble took advantage of North Central's significant size advantage in the post by scoring a season-high 26 points, making 11 of 12 shots from the floor. Derek Raridon totaled 16 points, while Kmiec added 15 and Jack Merrithey provided 11. Tiknis also led the hosts with six rebounds and eight assists and Merrithey led the way with three steals.
Chris Benjamin led North Park with 17 points. Mark Holmes was the Vikings' leading scorer entering the game, but fouled out with nearly 17 minutes left after tallying 10 points.
The Cardinals host fourth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University (21-3, 13-0) in the regular-season finale for both teams on Saturday. Tipoff at Gregory Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Links to live in-game statistics, audio and video can be accessed at northcentralcardinals.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball.
