The North Central College men's basketball team came within a few key plays of scoring a third victory over nationally-ranked opposition on Tuesday, but saw a 10-point halftime lead evaporate as the seventh-ranked Benedictine University Eagles escaped Gregory Arena with a 75-73 win in the Battle of Chicago/Maple Avenue.

The Eagles (10-0) claimed the Bill Warden/Tony LaScala Trophy for the first time since 2010, putting together a 12-3 run late in the contest to pull ahead and getting a bucket on the game's final possession from junior guard Tahron Harvey, who led Benedictine with 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

North Central (6-4) opened the game intent on taking control early, outscoring the Eagles, 12-2, in the first five minutes of play as the visitors recorded more turnovers (4) than shot attempts (3). The Cardinals went into the post early and often, scoring their first six baskets in the paint, and led by as many as 13 points before heading into halftime with a 36-26 advantage. North Central limited the Eagles to 33.3 percent shooting (8 of 24) in the opening 20 minutes.

Benedictine emerged from the break with a vengeance, scoring the first seven points of the second half and pulling to within a single point at 39-38 on Luke Johnson's three-pointer with 16:14 on the clock. The Cardinals responded with an 8-2 run, getting six points on 6 of 6 shooting at the free-throw line, to build their lead back up to 49-41. North Central led, 58-51, when another Johnson three-pointer ignited an 8-0 Benedictine surge which gave the visitors their first lead at 59-58 on Michael Blaszczyk's triple with 7:32 to play.

Aiden Chang put the Cardinals back in front on the next trip down the floor, converting a three-point play, and Jagger Anderson's 60-foot lob pass to Alex Sorenson for a fast-break layup put North Central ahead, 63-59. The Cardinals owned a 65-61 edge with 5:24 to play when Harvey scored two straight buckets to tie the score at 65-65.

Connor Raridon knocked down one of two free throws to briefly put the hosts back in front, but a three-pointer by Blaszczyk and an inside jumper by John Dodson gave Benedictine a 70-66 lead. After a North Central timeout, Raridon sank a jumper, which was answered at the other end by two free throws from Harvey. Dodson added another free throw with 1:26 left, giving the Eagles their largest lead at 73-68.

Raridon hit a three-pointer from the left corner to narrow the gap to 73-71, and following a missed jumper by Blaszczyk, Sorenson scored in the post on a pass from Erwin Henry to tie the contest at 73-73. Benedictine went to Harvey on its final possession, who backed his way into the lane and lobbed the game-winning layup over the collapsing defense with two seconds left.

Sorenson finished with 20 points for the Cardinals, while Anderson scored 12, Kevin Honn added 11 and Henry recorded 10. Sorenson and Honn shared the team lead in rebounds with eight apiece, and Henry finished with a career-high four assists.

North Central closes out its non-conference schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 30, traveling to face Robert Morris University-Chicago. Tipoff at the RMU Athletic and Convocation Center in Arlington Heights is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.