Setting the Scene: The Cardinals open a fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance by hosting for the first time since 2013, looking to duplicate the success of the only team in school history to advance to the Final Four.
This Weekend's Schedule: Loras College (Iowa) and Albion College (Michigan) will play in Friday's first game at 5:30 p.m., while the Cardinals take on Chatham University (Pennsylvania) at 7:30. The winners of those games will meet in the second round on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
Series History: This is the first meeting between the two institutions in any sport.
National Rankings: North Central is ranked No. 15 in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll.
Scouting the Cougars: Chatham is competing in a NCAA Tournament for the first time in any team sport. The men’s basketball program is in just its fourth year of competition, as the school first began admitting male students in 2015.
The Cougars defeated Washington & Jefferson (55-54), St. Vincent (54-51) and Westminster (64-61) last week to win the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Tournament, the school’s first since joining the conference in 2007-08.
Chatham’s leading scorers are Isaiah Brown (16.3 points per game) and Will Sandherr (14.3 ppg), who are part of an all-senior starting lineup for the Cougars. Chatham ranks 23rd nationally in scoring defense (65.3 points allowed per game).
This Week for the Cardinals: North Central earned the CCIW’s automatic bid to the championship last weekend, winning the CCIW Tournament at Augustana to bring home the trophy for the second time in three seasons and the fifth time overall.
Entering the event as the No. 2 seed, the Cardinals defeated third-seeded Wheaton, 94-87, in Friday’s semifinals before a 72-65 victory over top-seeded and third-ranked Augustana in Saturday’s championship game.
North Central put up a season-high point total against Wheaton and shot a season-best 52.2 percent (12 of 23) from three-point range. Matt Cappelletti led the way with 27 points and 10 rebounds while Connor Raridon totaled 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
Blaise Meredith was a perfect 6 for 6 from beyond the three-point arc against the Thunder. North Central’s single-game record for three-pointers made with out a miss is seven, set by Mike Benhart against Marietta on Nov. 21, 1997.
The Cardinals took the lead midway through Saturday’s final and kept Augustana at bay the rest of the evening, shooting 60 percent (12 of 20) from the floor in the second period to preserve the win.
Raridon finished with 23 points, six rebounds and eight assists, scoring nine points on 4 of 4 shooting in the final seven minutes.
All-CCIW Teams: Raridon, Cappelletti and Meredith were selected to the 2018-2019 All-CCIW Teams.
Raridon and Cappelletti were selected to the First Team, while Meredith made the Second Team. A unanimous First Team pick, Raridon is now a three-time All-CCIW honoree, while Cappelletti and Meredith are recognized for the first time.
North Central in the NCAA Tournament: North Central is in the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time. The Cardinals have a 9-11 all-time record in the tournament and have made the field in four straight seasons and six of the last seven.
North Central last hosted NCAA Tournament games in 2013, defeating Centre (66-50), Wisconsin-Whitewater (64-60) and Illinois Wesleyan (83-73).
The Cardinals also made tournament appearances in 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018. North Central advanced past the first round for the first time in 2012, making the round of 16, and advanced to the national semifinals for the first time in 2013.
North Central head coach Todd Raridon has been to the Division III Final Four twice as a head coach, guiding Nebraska Wesleyan to the national championship game in 1997.
Career/Single-Season Rankings: Connor Raridon became the Cardinals’ all-time leader for assists on Jan. 27 of last season against Elmhurst, and has extended his record totals to 476 in his career.
He also owns the Cardinals’ records for assists in single game (13, accomplished twice) and in a single season (187, 2017-2018).
Raridon became North Central’s 27th 1,000-point scorer on Dec. 15 at Wheaton and currently ranks 10th in school history with 1,322 points. He also ranks third in school history in free throws made (404) and fourth in free throws attempted (506).
Mike Pollack currently ranks ninth in school history in career three-pointers made (123), while Cappelletti ranks 10th (121) and Aiden Chang is 12th (115).
Coaching Milestone: Todd Raridon became the 45th coach in Division III history to eclipse 500 career wins last season in a 92-78 victory over Albion at Gregory Arena.
He is one of 16 current active Division III coaches with at least 500 victories and ranks 39th all-time with 535 wins.
Raridon’s 266 victories at North Central make him the program’s all-time leader in coaching wins.
Credits:
Steve Woltmann