FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
Jan. 4, 2014 - Operating at a high level of efficiency all evening long, the North Central College men's basketball team cruised to victory in its first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) contest of the season on Saturday, overwhelming the North Park University Vikings, 82-54, at Gregory Arena.
The Cardinals (8-4, 1-0 CCIW) shot 62.2 percent (28-45) from the floor, topping the 60-percent mark for the second time this season. North Central knocked down 15 of 21 field-goal attempts (71.4 percent) in the second half, extending a 12-point halftime lead to as many as 34 points down the stretch.
North Park (3-9, 0-1) opened the game in a zone defense aimed at preventing the Cardinals from passing the ball inside. North Central still managed to score 18 points in the paint before halftime, and senior forward Landon Gamble scored a game-high 13 points, including a 7 of 10 effort at the free-throw line, to help send the hosts into halftime with a 36-24 advantage.
The second half belonged to North Central senior guard Vince Kmiec, who busted the Vikings' zone to the tune of 22 points on 8 of 9 shooting, making 6 of 7 three-point shots. Kmiec sank two three-pointers in an 11-0 surge midway through the period which extended the Cardinals' lead to 63-38. North Central led by at least 23 points the rest of the way.
Kmiec finished with a season-high 30 points, just one short of his career best. He made a career-high eight three-pointers on 12 attempts while leading the team with five assists and tying his own single-game school record with five steals. Gamble totaled 20 points, making 12 of a career-high 16 free-throw attempts, and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.
Garrett Getz was the top scorer for North Park with 12 points, while Juwan Henry added 10.
The Cardinals host Millikin University (6-6, 0-1) on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Links to live video, audio and in-game statistics can be found by clicking HERE.
