Benedictine (7-2) learned earlier in the week of its No. 23 ranking according to D3hoops.com, and the Eagles looked like one of the nation's top teams in the opening minutes. Marcus Jackson scored seven points in the squad's game-opening 11-0 run, while Adam Hansen and Matt Harrison added scores as well.
North Park (3-6) scored seven of the next nine points to get to within 13-7, but Zach Ramey hit a trio of 3-pointers, Brice Amelianovich added a jumper, and Mike Shimkus knocked down a trey of his own to put the Eagles up 32-15. They led by as many as 18 points in the first 20 minutes before settling for a 42-27 halftime advantage.
Benedictine didn't let up at the start of the second half, using a 9-2 run - capped by a Harrison triple - to lead by 22 (51-29) less than five minutes into the final stanza. The Eagles led by 20 or better for the next few minutes before North Park made a run to cut its deficit to 58-44 with 9:22 left. Harrison put the game away, though, scoring the next eight points to start a 14-0 run that iced the game.
Harrison finished with a game-high 20 points, hitting 4-of-7 from long range. Ramey added 16 points and collected eight rebounds, while Hansen collected his first double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 boards in just 17 minutes of work.
The Eagles, who won for the sixth time in eight road games, shot 48% (28-59) from the floor for the game - including 8-of-17 from 3-point range - and committed only 10 turnovers. They also limited North Park to 38% (21-55) shooting.
Lamar Townsend had 14 points to pace North Park, which only got 16 points out of its starters. Mike Peterson contributed 12 points off the bench.
Benedictine plays its final pre-Christmas game when it hosts local rival North Central College on Tuesday, December 21. The visitors will enter the game with a perfect 7-0 record