Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324

KENOSHA, Wis. (Feb. 4, 2026) - In their fifth game decided by a single possession, the North Central College men's basketball team's late comeback fell short as Carthage College broke a tie with less than a second left to earn a 67-65 victory Wednesday night inside Tarble Arena.

After Alejandro Diaz scored on the opening possession, the Firebirds jumped out to a 17-8 lead. A pair of Jaydon James free throws and a basket from Ethan Marlowe kept the Cardinals close, 21-14. James Bullock Jr.'s jumper sparked a 9-2 run for North Central, cutting the deficit to two, 28-26, with 6:25 left in the first half. The teams traded points as Bullock found his rhythm, scoring his 12th point with 5:21 to play in the opening half. A James basket evened the score at 34-34 before Sean Molloy hit a turnaround jumper to keep the Cardinals within a basket, 40-38, at halftime.

Both teams knocked down a 3-pointer early in the second half. Bullock Jr.'s 18th point kept stride with the Firebirds' offense as both teams went back and forth in the tightly contested conference matchup. Carthage scored on three straight possessions, but again Bullock Jr. answered with a 3-pointer to bring North Central back within three, 59-56, with 5:51 left.

Carthage added to its lead, going ahead by seven with 3:27 remaining. Bullock Jr. tied his career high with 23 points on a jumper to keep the Cardinals within reach. Following a pair of Firebird free throws, Bullock Jr. drew a shooting foul and converted both attempts at the line. Despite the Cardinals struggling from deep, Diaz buried a clutch 3-pointer with 50 seconds left. After a strong defensive effort from the Cardinals, Tre Davis made a layup in traffic to tie the game at 65-65 with eight seconds to play. Riley Brooks missed the go-ahead shot attempt, but two Firebird offensive rebounds led to a Ryan Johnson putback as time expired to steal a 67-65 win in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play.

Bullock Jr.'s 25 points are the most by a Cardinal this season. James also established a career high, posting 11 points. Davis recorded six points, nine rebounds and three assists. North Central shot 45% from the floor but just 15% from behind the arc. Carthage shot 44.5% from the field and 27.3% from deep. Johnson led the Firebirds with 21 points.

North Central stays on the road, visiting Wheaton College on Saturday for a 4:15 p.m. tipoff in King Arena. The Cardinals look to avenge a similar loss, falling 72-71 with the Thunder hitting a buzzer-beater on Jan. 10.