KENOSHA, Wis. – The Carthage College men's basketball team won their fourth College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game in overtime this season on Wednesday as Carthage overcame a late deficit in regulation to win, 78-74, in overtime against North Central College.
 
The win moves the Red Men 16-7 on the year and more importantly, 9-5 in the CCIW, while North Central falls to 14-10 and 8-7 in the conference.
 
Kienan Baltimore scored a career-high 31 points in the game, with 23 coming in the second half and overtime.  Baltimore went 6-14 from the field, including 4-7 from three, and hit 13-14 from the free throw line.  His 31 points fueled a bench that outscored the Cardinals bench 39-2 in the game.

"An exciting game to win, all CCIW wins are sweet," said a happy Bosko Djurickovic after the win.  " With two games left we need to finish the season strong... Kienan, as I have said several times, is as confident of an offensive player as we have had and he is going to get nothing but better.  He made some huge plays in the second half and 13-14 from the free throw line was huge."
 
Mike Stevenson was the only other Red Men player to score in double-figures with 11, while Brad Kruse added eight boards and two blocks to lead Carthage.
 
With the Red Men leading, 9-7, early in the first half, the Cardinals rolled off a 9-0 run on 4-4 shooting from the field to take a 16-9 lead with 11:31 remaining in the half. 
 
The half then turned from there and was all Carthage the rest of the way, as the Red Men went on a 26-6 run over nearly ten minutes to put Carthage up 35-22.  Kienan Baltimore led the Red Men during the run with seven points, while Kevin Kozil opened and closed the run with a pair of threes to give him six during the stretch. 
 
Kozil and Baltimore both finished with eight in the half as Carthage took a 35-25 advantage into the break behind 21 points off 12 Cardinal turnovers.  Carthage allowed just two points following their four turns.  Baltimore's eight also led Carthage to a 16-2 edge in bench points over the first 20 minutes.
 
Five quick points by the Cardinals out of the locker room as part of a 9-3 run cut into the Red Men's lead, but six straight free throws by Baltimore gave the Red Men a 44-34 lead with 11:34 remaining in the second half.
 
However, North Central wouldn't go away, as a 15-2 run over 6:46 swung the advantage to the Cardinals and gave the visitors a 58-54 lead with 2:23 remaining in regulation.
 
Carthage continued to battle and following a missed free throw by Jagger Anderson, which could have put the Cardinals up four, the Red Men had a shot to tie the game, which on the ensuing possession Jordan Thomas rattled home a three of a Brad Kruse assist to send the game to overtime.
 
In overtime with the Red Men leading 71-69, Baltimore and Kruse teamed up and forced an Aiden Chang turnover, which Baltimore found a wide open layup to put the Red Men ahead for good, 73-69. 
 
In overtime, despite being outshot 10-5 from the field, went hit 80-percent of their shots while getting to the line 11 times. 
 
Alex Sorenson led the Cardinals with 24 points and Chang added 19 on 5-10 from deep.
 
With two games remaining the Red Men will look to win their final road test on Saturday, as Carthage heads to Millikin University.  Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

"We need to have two good days of practice and be ready to head down to Decatur on Saturday!"