CAGUAS, PUERTO RICO  — The 15th-ranked Catholic men's basketball team started its two game stretch at the Puerto Rico Clasico On Friday for a top 15 showdown against No. 6 Chicago. After taking a seven point lead into halftime, the Maroons fended off the Cardinals comeback attempt in the second half, opening up a lead as large as 15, to come away with a 76-66 victory. 

The teams traded buckets back and forth throughout the first half with both teams shooting above 50% from the field in the first 20 minutes. The score was all knotted up at 29 with six minutes left to play after CJ Ruoff scored five straight points for Catholic, but Chicago outscored Catholic 11-4 over the final stretch of the half to take a 40-33 lead into the break. Ruoff and Charley Hepting each dropped double-digit points for the Cardinals in the first half with 14 and 10 respectively.

Chicago came out strong in the second half and were able to push the lead out to 12 in the first two minutes after Joe Berry connected from deep. The Cardinals began to chip away at the deficit after a Googie Seidman triple sparked a 15-2 run for them to take the lead back at 48-47 with 14 minutes left in regulation. Brian Herbert scored five points over the run and Ruoff and Michael Dankert added buckets as well.

After a Dankert layup tied the game up at 50, the Maroons were able to regain control of the contest by going on a 12-2 run to once again open up a double-digit advantage. Herbert knocked down a three to make it an eight point game at 65-57 with 6:26, but Chicago scored seven straight points to open up its largest lead of the game of 15, allowing it to close out a 76-66 win over Catholic. The loss dropped the Cardinals record to 7-2 on the season and also snapped their six game win streak.

Ruoff led Catholic in scoring with 21 points while shooting 8-for-15 from the field and providing four assists. The game marked his sixth time this season scoring 20 or more points and he continues to lead the team with 21.8 points per game. He also has scored 20+ points in four consecutive games.

Herbert and Hepting were the other two Cardinals to score double figures with 13 and 10 respectively. Chris Rubayo made his debut with the program, playing 20 minutes and scoring five points with two rebounds and a block.

Catholic is back in action on Saturday, December 20 when they take on Illinois Tech in its final game playing in the Puerto Rico Clasico. Tipoff is set for 10:30 am at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum.