Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana rallied from a six-point deficit in the final minute of regulation Wednesday and went on to post a 72-66 overtime win over North Central at Carver Center. Sophomore Nolan Ebel (Regis Jesuit HS, Denver, Colo.) scored 14 of the Vikings' last 21 points and finished with a game and career-high 26. Augustana improved to 18-4 overall and 11-2 and two and a half games up in the CCIW race. The Cardinals, who had won four straight, dropped to 13-9 on the year and 7-6 in the league.
 
A Jagger Anderson layup with 1:01 remaining in regulation gave North Central a 57-51 lead and things looked dire for the Vikings when Erwin Henry came up with a steal on the ensuing possession. Jacob Johnston (Erie HS, Cordova, Ill.) fouled Henry with 52 seconds left, but the Cardinal stalwart, who scored a team-high 22 on the night, missed both free throws to leave the door open.
 
Ebel took advantage, banking in a three-pointer from the top of the key to pull the hosts to within 57-54 at the 45-second mark. Brett Benning (Dakota HS, Davis, Ill.) then came away with a steal and hit one of two free throws to cut the deficit to a bucket. After a pair of Alex Sorenson free throws extended the North Central advantage back to 59-55, the Cardinals backed off as Ebel drove the lane for a layup with 17 seconds left.
 
After an Augustana timeout, North Central was unable to get the ball inbounds and was forced to call consecutive timeouts of its own. On their third try, the Cardinals inbounded to Henry, who was fouled by Benning. Henry front ironed his first attempt and had the second rim out, with Benning grabbing the rebound. The Viking sophomore quickly found Ebel, who penetrated for the game-tying layup with nine seconds left.
 
North Central inbounded and pushed it to the offensive end, but Dylan Sortillo (Bettendorf Hs, Bettendorf, Iowa) tied up Tommy Koth in the lane with 1.5 seconds on the clock. The held ball went to Augustana, but Sortillo's desperation attempt from just inside half court was long, sending the contest to overtime.
 
Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) and Ebel scored the first two baskets of the extra session and the Vikings never trailed. A steal and layup by Anderson pulled the Cardinals within a bucket, but a conventional three-point play by Ebel pushed the margin back to 66-61 with 55 seconds left and it was never less than four the rest of the way.
 
Both teams struggled through a cold-shooting first half. North Central used a 23-14 advantage on the boards to forge a 26-22 lead at the break.
 
For the game, Augustana hit 25 of 58 (.431) field goal attempts and just three of 14 (.214) from three-point range. The Vikings hit 19 of 24 (.792) from the foul line, including a perfect seven-of-seven in overtime. The Cardinals hit .385 from the floor on 25 of 65, including five of 21 (.238) from beyond the arc. They were 11 of 20 (.550) from the foul line. North Central outrebounded Augustana 45-33, but committed 18 turnovers to 13 for the Vikings.
 
Ebel hit 10 of 14 field goal attempts, one of two three-point tries and all five of his free throws. He also grabbed four rebounds, dished out two assists and shared game-high steal honors with three. Orange finished with a dozen points. Sortillo had nine points and three steals and Johnston nine points and a team-high eight rebounds. Henry and Sorenson shared scoring honors for North Central with 22 apiece.
 
The Vikings will try and clinch at least a share of the CCIW regular season title on Saturday, February 11, when they make their first trip to Waukesha, Wisconsin in 25 years to take on Carroll. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.