Defense does the trick as Vikings hand North Central first conference loss
ROCK ISLAND, Illinois – A smothering defensive effort that held the top scoring team in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin to nearly 40 points below its average keyed Augustana’s 74-49 victory over North Central in the Carver PE Center. It was the first conference loss of the season for the Cardinals, who had been averaging 84.8 points per game heading into the contest. Shaun Clements (Lake Zurich HS, Lake Zurich, IL) led the way for the Vikings with 17 points.
In the first half North Central, which was playing without leading scorer Mike Wilson who was ill, shot just .292 (7-24) from the floor and scored just 18 points as Augustana broke out to a 33-18 lead at intermission. Things didn’t get much better for the Cardinals in the second half as they finished the game shooting just .310 (18-58) from the field. Anthony Simmons led North Central in scoring with 11 points. The Cardinal starters were a combined 9-30 from the floor.
North Central led just once, 2-0 in the first minute of play, but Augustana went on a 15-2 run and with 10:18 left to play in the first half held an 11 point lead (15-4). That advantage would eventually grow to 17 (33-16) before Simmons scored in the final seconds of play to make it 33-18. The Vikings outrebounded North Central 24-15 in the second half to hold a commanding 44-35 edge in the final statistics. Bill Goehrke (Hoffman Estates HS, South Barrington, IL) led the way with seven rebounds but Clements and Jay McAdams-Thornton (Moline HS, Moline, IL) each chipped in with six. Joining Clements in double figures was Joe Baumann (Carmel HS, Libertyville, IL) with 11 points.
Drew Carstens (Downers Grove North HS, Downers Grove, IL), Augustana’s leading scorer, entered the game needing 16 points to pass Bruce Hamming (1,668 points from 1971-75), and move into second place on the school’s career scoring list. He finished with nine and will need seven in a game this Saturday night at home against North Park to replace Hamming.
Augustana moved its record to 9-7 overall and 3-2 in the CCIW while North Central fell to 11-4 and 4-1. This was the 14th straight loss for the Cardinals in the Carver Center, a building where they last won during the 1989-90 season.