Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
ELMHURST, Ill (Feb. 16, 2019) - Taking control of the contest with an early scoring run for the second straight game, the North Central College men's basketball team leaped into the postseason on Saturday by closing its regular-season schedule with a 78-71 victory over Elmhurst College at R.A. Faganel Hall.
The 23rd-ranked Cardinals (20-5, 12-4 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) recorded a 20th victory for the sixth time in their history and completed a season sweep of the Bluejays, leading for virtually the entire contest.
North Central hassled the Bluejays into 0 for 7 shooting from the floor in the opening six minutes of play, scoring the game's first 12 points to take control almost immediately. Connor Raridon scored six points in the game-opening rally. The Cardinals extended their lead throughout the opening period and carried a 46-26 advantage into halftime, paced by 14 points from Tommy Koth and 10 each from Raridon and Will Clausel.
The Bluejays (12-13, 7-9 CCIW) made their bid to get back into the contest with a 14-4 run which narrowed the deficit to just 57-52 with 10:26 to play. Clausel almost singlehandedly quelled the Elmhurst uprising, sinking a three-pointer then blocking a shot before grabbing an offensive rebound and netting another triple to boost the visitors' advantage to 63-52 less than 90 seconds later.
North Central led comfortably the rest of the way, shooting 51.8 percent (29 of 56) from the floor to improve to 9-0 when making at least 50 percent of its field-goal attempts this season. Koth led all scorers with 23 points on 9 of 16 shooting, while Clausel totaled a career-high 16 points and Raridon piled up 15 points and game highs of 12 rebounds and six assists.
Jake Rhode led Elmhurst with 18 points and five assists, while Derek Dotlich put up 14 points.
The Cardinals have secured the No. 2 seed in next week's CCIW Tournament, bypassing the opening round in the new six-team format. North Central will take on the winner of Tuesday's first-round game between Elmhurst and Wheaton College in Friday's quarterfinal round at Augustana College's Carver Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
