Men's Basketball | 11/22/2014 11:20:00 PM

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

Box Score

Nov. 22, 2014 - Putting five players in double figures and leading for the final 33 minutes of the contest, the North Central College men's basketball team improved to 2-0 for the season on Saturday with a 77-61 victory over Bluffton University in the Chicago Marriott Naperville Tip-Off Tournament at Gregory Arena.

The Cardinals were led for the second straight night by the efforts of Charles Rosenberg, who claimed the tournament's Most Valuable Player honors after totaling 23 points, six rebounds and five assists. North Central's Jack Burchett, who recorded a second straight double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Trailing, 8-4, after five minutes of play, the Cardinals bolted ahead with back-to-back three-point plays by Evan Fendley and Erwin Henry and eventually built their largest lead of the first half at 22-13 following Rosenberg's jumper with 6:50 on the clock. The hosts carried a 33-26 advantage into halftime.

The Beavers (1-2) cut the deficit to five points early in the second half before North Central forged an 8-0 rally to pull in front, 43-30. The Cardinals moved ahead by double digits for good with 7:27 remaining, when Kevin Honn knocked down a three-pointer. The lead grew as large as 20 points in the final minute.

Honn put up a career-high 18 points, making 4 of 5 three-point shots, while Henry and Jayme Moten each contributed 10 points. North Central shot 53.2 percent (25-47) from the floor and knocked down 20 of 28 free throws (71.4 percent).

Thayne Recker was Bluffton's lone double-figure scorer, collecting 24 points on 9 of 10 shooting. 

North Central hosts Aurora University (2-1) on Tuesday, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Links to live audio and in-game statistics, as well as a live video broadcast by Naperville Community Television, can be accessed by clicking HERE.