PICTURED: Jordan Robinson
You couldn't have asked for a better performance from Jordan Robinson and the North Park Vikings than what transpired in Rock Island Saturday night.
Facing the second-ranked team in Division III without one of its top scoring threats in sophomore Colin Lake, North Park pushed Augustana to the brink but unfortunately blinked just barely in what turned out to be a 95-92 overtime loss before a sellout crowd at Carver Arena.
Augustana was looking to continue the momentum it carried earlier in the season when AC visited Chicago for a 79-66 win, but what Augie didn't realize was North Park was up for the challenge as it gave another nationally-ranked team in Elmhurst College a scare only a week or so prior.
Robinson was on his game – filling the role for his team – as he went for a game-high 34 points on 12 of 18 shooting before ultimately fouling out early in the extra period. Augustana led for nearly the entire game but NP came back to insane life just when the time was right. North Park erased a 13-point halftime deficit and took a 76-75 lead when Armahn Mooring sank 1 of 2 free throws with two seconds left in regulation, but a costly NP foul on AC's ensuing possession led to 1 of 2 free throws from Jawan Straughter to send the game into extra time.
Augustana then seized control in the OT period by pushing its lead to 89-81 with 1:14 left, but North Park caught fire and used an 11-6 run on three-pointers from Juwan Henry and Mooring to trim the deficit to three, but a game-tying three-pointer from Joe Biko just missed the mark as time expired and the hosts escaped with the victory, their 19th of the season.
Despite seven different players finishing in double-figure scoring for Augustana, North Park managed to force 16 turnovers – eight off steals – and scored 17 points off the miscues. Henry finished with 25 points on 7 of 15 shooting while Mooring tallied a North Park career-high 11 points on 3 of 5 field goals. Darius Brown was also solid in his eighth start this season as he went for nine points. Hunter Hill led Augustana with 18 points.
North Park (13-7, 5-4) returns to action Wednesday night when it travels to Wheaton College for a 7 p.m. contest.
