ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana broke open a close game in the second half Wednesday and rolled to a 76-59 win over North Central at Carver Center. The third-ranked Vikings improved to 12-1 on the season and 4-0 in the CCIW, while the Cardinals dropped to 11-3 overall and 3-2 in the conference.

 

The hosts led just 31-27 at the half and a Will Clausel bucket on the opening possession of the second stanza pulled North Central to within two. However, the Cardinals were called for three fouls on the ensuing possession. Brett Benning (Dakota HS, Davis, Ill.) finally finished it off with a pair of free throws, sparking a 12-0 Augustana run. Senior Nolan Ebel (Regis Jesuit HS, Denver, Colo.) hit two three-pointers and a conventional field goal in the spurt, which pushed the Vikings' advantage to 43-29. The margin wouldn't dip below double digits again.
 
After an Aaron Jones layup cut North Central's deficit to 50-39 with 8:52 to play, Augustana responded with 10 straight points to take its biggest lead of the night. Chrishawn Orange (Jacobs HS, Algonquin, Ill.) and Joe Kellen (Rockford Lutheran HS, Rockford, Ill.) each buried a trey and Micah Martin's (Iowa City HS, Iowa City, Iowa) transition layup off a Benning feed made it 60-39 Vikings at the 6:50 mark.
 
Augustana still led by 21 (62-41) after two Martin free throws with 5:49 to play. The Cardinals hit four three-pointers in a three-minute stretch, but could get no closer than 13 points. A pair of Orange baskets in the final minute accounted for the final.
 
After Matt Cappelletti gave the guests their only lead of the night at 2-0, Martin answered with a bucket on his way to a big first half. Ebel scored twice as the Vikings extended the advantage to 8-2. North Central eventually pulled even one final time at 14-all on a Blaise Meredith three-pointer, but Martin answered with a hoop at the 11:01 mark that gave Augustana the lead for good.
 
Martins' fifth basket in as many attempts gave the Vikings their biggest lead of the first half at 28-22. Connor Raridon eventually answered a Jack Jelen (Bay HS, Bay Village, Ohio) trey—Augustana's only one of the period—with one of two free throws to pull the Cardinals to within 31-27 at the break.
 
Coach Grey Giovanine's squad got excellent offensive balance. Ebel led the way with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. Orange added 15 and Martin (6-7 from the floor) and junior Pierson Wofford (Springfield Lutheran HS, Springfield, Ill.) each scored 14. Orange grabbed eight rebounds to lead his team to a 38-25 edge on the boards. Raridon was the only Cardinal to score in double figures, tallying 12.
 
The Vikings finished the night 27 of 55 (.491) from the field, six of 15 (.400) from beyond the arc (including 5-6 in the second half) and 16 of 19 from the free throw line. North Central shot .404 (21-52) from the floor, .400 (10-25) from long range and .583 (7-12) from the foul line. Augustana turned it over just 10 times and the Cardinals just 11.
 
Giovanine's  bunch hits the road on Saturday, January 5, traveling to Chicago to face North Park with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.