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

Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Jan. 30, 2021) - The North Central College men's basketball team had inside track on a fourth straight win at Augustana College's Carver Center on Saturday, but fell victim to a late Viking scoring run and absorbed its first loss of the season, 80-76.

In contrast to the teams' earlier meeting on Thursday in Naperville, both squads came out firing offensively in a first half which featured seven ties and five lead changes. Facing a 28-22 deficit with 8:09 left in the opening period, the Cardinals strung together 11 straight points to move in front, 33-28. Michael Pollack scored six points and Brian Johnson added five more in the rally.

North Central led the rest of the period, taking a 44-41 lead into halftime after a Shea Cupples layup beat the buzzer. Pollack led all scorers at halftime with 15 points, while Cupples had 14 and Johnson 13.

The visitors extended their lead to 68-53 with 8:21 to play before falling victim to a 20-3 run over the next six minutes as the Vikings went 6 of 9 from the floor. Trailing, 73-71, North Central tied the score on a layup by Will Clausel before moving in front, 75-73, after two Matt Helwig free throws with 1:59 to play.

Augustana (1-2) tied the score at 75-75 on a jumper in the lane by Matt Haunshewsky, then pulled in front for the final time on Jack Jelen's inside basket with 1:02 on the clock. The Vikings made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 31 seconds to close out the win.

Pollack finished with 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting, while Cupples (19 points) and Johnson (13) each established new single-game scoring highs. Blaise Meredith grabbed eight rebounds and Helwig handed out five assists.

Daniel Carr spearheaded Augustana's effort with 21 points and eight rebounds. Justin Bottorff scored 13 points and Jelen finished with 12.

The Cardinals are set to host Illinois Wesleyan University (1-0) on Thursday at 7 p.m. Click HERE for live coverage options.

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