CHICAGO - Paige Gallimore tallied a team-high 25 points, but the Roosevelt women's basketball team couldn't overcome the frenetic pace of visiting North Central (Ill.) as the Cardinals pulled away in the second half to defeat the Lakers, 103-83, on the opening night of the Roosevelt Classic at the Goodman Center.

Emily Duckhorn matched a career high with 15 points off the bench for the Lakers (8-7).

Anita Sterling led all scorers with 28 points for the Cardinals (7-4), who caused 43 Roosevelt turnovers playing a brand of pressing, quick-shot basketball associated with the Lakers' fellow Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference member Olivet Nazarene.

It was a single-digit affair with plenty of back-and-forth in the first half and a slim North Central lead throughout the third quarter until the Cardinals broke things open with a 9-0 run that dug a huge 17-point hole for the hosts.

Roosevelt got no closer than 10 and North Central added more points late to keep the Lakers' rally at bay.

The Roosevelt Classic opened with Concordia (Mich.) defeating another CCAC team in Governors State by a final of 78-69.

The Lakers will host Governors State in the consolation final of the Roosevelt Classic inside the Goodman Center at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29. That will be followed by North Central battling Concordia for the event's title.