Photo credit: Paige Wilcox
CHICAGO, Ill. -- The North Park University men's basketball team continued its three-game homestand and defeated the Carthage College Red Men, 72-68, inside the North Park Gym on Wednesday night.
In the beginning of the first half, both teams traded the first 30 points until the Vikings broke through. In a 10-0 scoring run, junior guard Lawrence Pointer knocked down a trio of 3-pointers to give the Vikings a 28-17 lead.
The Red Men cut the NPU lead down to six points at 30-24 but the Vikings kept their pace to hold a 10-point lead. Additionally, the Vikings marked five of the last nine points in the half, highlighted by a 3-pointer from junior guard Toby Marek as North Park took a 40-29 lead into the locker room.
Junior guard Izaiah Sanders led the Vikings with 12 points and Pointer followed closely behind with 11 points. As a team, the Vikings shot 50% from the field and 62% from beyond the arc.
Halftime: North Park 40, Carthage 29
Freshman forward Karl Polk Jr. began the Viking scoring in the second half with a jumper, growing the Viking lead to 13 at 42-29.
However, the Red Men caught fire from the field and marked 11-straight points until junior forward Matt Szuba buried a 3-pointer to temporarily curtail the Carthage scoring. The Vikings still held a lead at 45-40, but Carthage sharply pulled ahead 53-49.
This lead was short-lived as Sanders marked a layup while Marek and Pointer both tallied 3-pointers as the Vikings took back their lead, 57-55.
After Carthage tied the game at 57, the Viking offense attack took over. Szuba sent in two free throws, sophomore guard Alex Flute hit back-to-back 3-pointers and freshman forward Adam Bulwa notched a layup as the Vikings earned a double-digit lead, 67-57.
Carthage cut the Viking lead to 67-65 with two minutes left until Marek drained a free throw and Szuba put the game on ice with a 3-pointer to put the Vikings up 71-65 with less than a minute to play.
All Carthage could do was delay the inevitable, putting the Vikings on the free throw line as North Park went on to win 72-68.
Final: North Park 72, Carthage 68
Quick Hits:
- All North Park starters scored in double-figures
- Both Pointer and Sanders led the Vikings with 14 points
- Szuba and Bulwa led the Vikings with eight rebounds each
- Sanders led the Vikings with seven assists and Szuba followed with six of his own
What's Next?
The Vikings (3-14, 1-7 CCIW) conclude its three-game homestand welcoming the No. 4 Elmhurst College Bluejays to the NPU Gym on Saturday January 25. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m., following the preceding women's game.
--NPU--
