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

Box Score

KENOSHA, Wis. (Jan. 22, 2022) - Taking control from the opening tip and leading until the final buzzer, the North Central College men's basketball team won its third straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) road game Saturday, completing a season sweep of the Carthage College Firebirds, 90-79, at Tarble Arena.

The lead puts the Cardinals (10-5, 5-2 CCIW) just one game behind Illinois Wesleyan University in the CCIW standings heading into a five-game home stand starting next week. North Central has won five of its last six games in Kenosha and nine of its last 11 meetings with the Firebirds.

The Cardinals opened with a 10-3 scoring run over the first four minutes of play and stayed in control until Carthage (8-8, 1-6) closed the gap to 17-14 with 10:53 on the clock. North Central held the Firebirds scoreless for the next four minutes as three-pointers from Kameron Kaba-Williams and Matthew Helwig helped push the visitors' advantage back up to 10 points at 24-14. 

The lead stretched as far as 16 points before halftime came with the Cardinals in front, 41-32. The hosts rallied to make it a 50-46 game with 12:55 left, but Helwig responded immediately with a three-point play and a stepback jumper to neutralize the threat. North Central's largest lead was an 18-point margin in the final minutes.

The Cardinals shot 55.4 percent (31 of 56) from the floor, their highest in a game since shooting 57.1 percent in a 91-59 victory over Carthage at Gregory Arena Dec. 4, and made 12 of 26 three-pointers (46.2 percent) while owning a 36-24 advantage in rebounding. Helwig totaled a game-high 28 points to go with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. 

Ethan Helwig scored a season-high 27 points on 9 of 16 shooting (5 of 9 from three-point range) and totaled a game-best five assists, while Blaise Meredith finished with 20 points, a game-high eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Crishawn Cook was Carthage's leading scorere with 20 points, while Antuan Nesbitt added 11.

The Cardinals host No. 12-ranked Elmhurst University Monday at Gregory Arena, with tipoff set for 8:00 p.m. Click HERE for live coverage options. 

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