Cutting through a pressing, trapping defensive scheme with shocking ease, the North Central College men's basketball team closed the 2017 calendar year with a bang on Saturday, eclipsing several school records in a 117-72 mastery of Robert Morris University-Chicago at Gregory Arena.

The Cardinals (7-4) posted the third-highest single-game point total in the program's history and set new single-game records for rebounds (59) and assists (36). At the forefront of the blitzkrieg was senior forward Alex Sorenson, who erupted for 54 points on 25 of 29 shooting from the floor to set single-game records for points and field goals made. North Central's previous single-game scoring record was 52 points, set by Athletic Hall of Famer Bill Warden '55 against Lake Forest College on Jan. 11, 1955.

Sorenson got to work right away after the opening tip, scoring nine points in the first five minutes as the Cardinals built an early 15-8 lead. Connor Raridon scored the other six points and assisted on each of Sorenson's four made shots during the game-opening stretch. Owning a 34-26 lead with 7:45 on the clock, North Central got two inside buckets from Sorenson and three-pointers by Mike Pollack and Matt Cappelletti to boost the lead to 18 points at 44-26 with 4:34 still left in the half.

Sorenson scored eight points in an 11-2 surge over the final three minutes of the first period before Robert Morris (5-10) got a buzzer-beating jumper by Marquel Murphy to leave the score at 61-37 at the break. Sorenson closed the half with 31 points on 15 of 18 shooting and 10 rebounds. He tied North Central's record with a baseline jumper with 9:06 to play, then claimed it for his own with a tip-in on the next trip down the court before leaving the game to a rousing ovation from the crowd.

The Cardinals finished the game shooting 62.7 percent from the floor (47 of 75), topping the 60 percent mark for the second straight game, and made 11 of 25 three-point attempts (44.0 percent). Sorenson also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, while Pollack totaled 14 points and Raridon finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists. Raridon's assist total is second in school history only to his 13 assists achieved in an 83-68 win at Aurora on Dec. 12.

North Central returns to College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) play on Wednesday, hosting Carthage College (7-4). Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.