Despite playing without one of its leading scorers, the North Central College men's basketball team scored a key College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) win on the road by turning up the pressure on defense Wednesday, taking a large early lead and holding off a late comeback effort to record a 72-70 overtime victory over sixth-ranked Augustana College at the Carver Center.

The Cardinals (16-5, 6-4 CCIW) won for the fourth straight time on Augustana's home court. The teams have won on each other's home court the past two seasons.

With 15.7-point per game scorer Jayme Moten sidelined due to injury, North Central saw the Vikings score the game's first six points, but rebounded quickly to hold Augustana scoreless for 10 straight possessions. The Cardinals scored 14 straight points during that time and led by as many as 16 points later in the period. Augustana narrowed the gap to 29-19, but North Central's Mike Reinke and Jack Burchett scored inside while the visitors held the Vikings scoreless over the final 2:37 to take a 33-19 lead into halftime. 

The Cardinals allowed Augustana to shoot just 6 of 18 from the floor (33.3 percent) in the first half and did not allow the hosts a single second-chance scoring opportunity. Kevin Honn came off the bench to lead North Central with 11 points in the opening 20 minutes.

The lead grew as large as 18 points before Augustana (17-4, 7-3) worked its way back into contention. The Vikings put together a 17-4 run, including a trio of three-pointers from Griffin Pils and capped by a three-point play from Jawan Straughter, to tie the score at 55-55 with 3:36 to play. The Cardinals got a baseline jumper and two free throws fromCharles Rosenberg in succession to regain the lead, but Pils returned the favor with four points of his own to knot the score once again at 59-59 and send the game into overtime.

Straughter scored the first basket of the extra session, but North Central's Erwin Henry beat the shot clock with an 18-foot jumper while getting fouled and completed the three-point play. The Cardinals went on to make their first four field-goal attempts of the period, as Rosenberg scored twice and Burchett scored once in the paint, and led the rest of the way. 

Rosenberg finished with 24 points and seven rebounds, while Burchett and Honn each scored 16 and Henry totaled 10. The Cardinals improved to 3-0 in overtime and 16-0 when leading at halftime this season.

Pils paced the Vikings with 24 points, including a 5 for 8 effort from beyond the arc, while Hunter Hill scored 19.

North Central travels to face Illinois Wesleyan University (16-5, 8-2) on Saturday, seeking to add a win to the 78-72 victory it scored against the Titans on Jan. 3. Tipoff at the Shirk Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.