PICTURED: Billy Kirby

The Vikes needed a late second half surge to overcome host Elmhurst College Saturday in a 70-62 win at R.A. Fanagel Hall.

Led by a career-high 19-point effort from sophomore Billy Kirby, North Park erased a 10-point deficit with an 18-7 scoring run over a nine-minute span to pick up its eighth CCIW victory. NP now stands in a first-place tie with Augustana at 8-2 after Augie fell to Carthage College 74-70 in overtime.

The Vikings started the game strong as they posted a 10-5 lead after three-straight free throws from junior Colin Lake with 15:21 left in the first half. Elmhurst countered however with a 7-1 clip to capture a 12-11 advantage. They later then pushed their lead to 10 at 26-16 on a jumper from Derek Dotlich and held a 35-31 edge at halftime.

A Lake three-pointer at the 17:09 mark of the second half brought this visitors within two at 41-39, but again Elmhurst countered with a 10-2 run to move ahead 51-41 before North Park put together its final run of the contest –highlighted by fastbreak lay-ups from Lake and T.J. Cobbs.

Along with Kirby, three different Vikings finished in double-figure scoring. Junior Jordan Robinson tallied 16 points while Lake added 15 and Cobbs 10.

North Park (15-4, 8-2) returns to action next Saturday when it hosts North Central College at 7 p.m.