Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score
ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 28, 2021) - A game too competitive for a 40-minute time frame was nonetheless decided soon thereafter Tuesday, as the North Central College men's basketball team lost its first game in the RDV Sportsplex Classic to Hope College in overtime, 89-84.
After trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half, the Cardinals (7-4) rallied to take a seven-point lead in the second period. Hope bounced back to force overtime and converted a pair of three-point shots early the extra session to pull in front for good.
Facing a 23-9 deficit after nine minutes of play, North Central narrowed the gap to 43-35 by halftime, then scored the first 12 points of the second half to take a 50-43 lead with 14:39 left in regulation. Two straight three-pointers brought the Flying Dutch (6-4) back in front, 62-60, and the lead changed hands twice more before Ethan Helwig's three-point play gave North Central a 70-69 edge with 1:42 on the clock.
Blaise Meredith knocked down a three-pointer to extend the lead to 74-70 with under a minute to play, but Hope was able to knot the score at 74-74 after Clayton Dykhouse's layup with 13 seconds to play.
Three-pointers from Dykhouse and Tanner Wiegerink in the first 90 seconds of the overtime period wound up putting the Flying Dutch in front for good.
Matthew Helwig finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Cardinals, while Ethan Helwig put up 20 points and Meredith scored 18 with a game-high eight rebounds. Shea Cupples added 12 points in 16 minutes off the bench. Meredith is now 18 points away from becoming the program's 29th 1,000-point scorer.
Evan Thomas led five double-figure scorers for Hope with 22 points. Dykhouse scored 16 points and Jeff Bikus put up 10.
The Cardinals conclude play in Orlando Thursday, taking on Central College (Iowa) at 5 p.m. Eastern time.
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