Box Score

The North Park men's basketball team fell 68-58 to visiting Elmhurst College in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin action Saturday night.

Saturday's final score wasn't indicative of North Park's play throughout the contest. The Vikings held Elmhurst to under 50 percent shooting, but two key players fouled out before time expired, and one played with four fouls through most of the second half. Three different Vikings finished in double-figure scoring, led by 13 points from senior Kendell Greer. Greer had a pair of steals, four rebounds and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line in the effort. Both sophomore Mike Gabriel and senior Roshawn Russell finished with 12 points each.   

North Park kept things close in the first half as it took a brief four-point lead after baskets from senior Emanuel Crosby and Greer with just under nine minutes left, but Elmhurst turned the deficit into a five-point advantage with an 11-2 scoring run over the next five minutes. Elmhurst held a 35-26 lead at halftime.

The Vikings then opened the second half with two quick baskets from junior Mark Holmes and Gabriel to close the gap to three at 35-32, but Elmhurst responded again with a three-pointer from D'Ante Foster. North Park wouldn't quit though as it again trimmed the lead to five at 57-52 on a pair of free throws from Gabriel, but the Bluejays finished off the game scoring 11 of the last 17 points to pull out the victory. Zack Boyd led Elmhurst with 15 points.

North Park (5-14, 1-7) returns to action Tuesday night, Jan. 31 when it hosts Carthage College at 7:30 p.m.