Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
LISLE, Ill. (Nov. 25, 2025) - North Central College men's basketball earned its first win of the season Tuesday night, using a 43-point second half to defeat Benedictine University 71-53 at the Rice Center and claim the Battle of Chicago/Maple Avenue for the second straight season.
Defense set the tone early as Alejandro Diaz's jumper nearly eight minutes into the first half pulled the Cardinals within two, 8-6. The Eagles briefly led by five before Tre Davis and Tyler Di Silvio answered with baskets to keep North Central close. A 3-pointer from Tyler Swierczek tied the game at 23 with 2:57 left in the half, and his next basket gave the Cardinals their first lead, 25-23. North Central closed the half on a 10-0 run, capped by another Swierczek shot from beyond the arc, to take a 28-26 advantage into the break.
Momentum carried into the second half as James Bullock Jr., Sean Molloy and Diaz fueled an 8-0 run to push the Cardinals ahead 36-28 less than three minutes in. Ethan Marlowe scored his first points of the night before Swierczek connected on his third 3-pointer.
Diaz steadied the Cardinals at the free-throw line after a Benedictine surge, and layups from Justin Sveiteris and Tyler Surin extended the lead to 51-36 with 10:58 remaining. Surin added back-to-back baskets, including a three-point play, to make it 60-41. Sveiteris followed with a fast-break dunk before Bullock Jr. closed the scoring with a layup to seal the 71-53 victory.
North Central shot 51.6% in the second half to pull away. Four Cardinals finished in double figures, led by Diaz with 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Swierczek and Bullock Jr. added 11 apiece, while Surin scored a career-high 10. Benedictine shot 34.5% overall and struggled at the line, going 6-for-18. Jakeen Cole paced the Eagles with 12 points.
North Central continues its road trip Saturday at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. The teams have split their last four meetings, each winning on the road in the past two matchups. Tipoff at DeVos Fieldhouse is set for 4 p.m.
