ANDERSON, Ind. -- North Park Men's Basketball doubled their efficiency in the second half to defeat Anderson University 76-75 in a non-conference game at O.C. Lewis Gym on Saturday night. The Vikings scored only 23 points in the first half but exploded for 53 in the second to steal a win away from the Ravens and move to 3-1 on the year.
First Half: Anderson's Quick Start and Campbell's Lone Stand
Anderson (1-4) came out firing, turning North Park's (3-1) early turnovers into instant offense. Bryce Williams scored two fast-break layups in the opening minute, both assisted by Nolan Swan, giving the Ravens a 4-0 lead. Rob Davidson added a second-chance jumper at 17:17, and Swan buried a three-pointer at 15:45 to push Anderson ahead by seven, 9-2.
By the 10-minute mark, Anderson had built its largest lead of the game at 18-8, fueled by Kenney Troutman's three-pointer and another Williams layup in transition. The Ravens' zone defense, pushing the ball to the perimeter as much as it could, forced five North Park turnovers in the first six minutes, and Anderson converted them into nine points.
While North Park struggled from the perimeter (1-for-12 from deep in the half), junior center Julian Campbell kept the Vikings afloat. The 6'8" center scored 14 of North Park's 23 first-half points, almost single handedly matching Anderson's paint production. Campbell's sequence of layups between 15:23 and 14:30 cut the deficit to one possession, but Anderson answered with timely threes from Swan and Troutman. Campbell's hook shot at 8:25 and another layup at 3:21 were the few bright spots for the Blue & Gold in the opening half as North Park trailed 32-23 at the break.
Second Half: Offensive Fireworks
The second half flipped the script. Anderson struck first with Davidson's layup at 19:17, stretching the lead to 11 (34-23), but North Park responded with a barrage from deep. Junior guard Mike Vuckovic's three-pointer at 17:42 ignited a run, followed by junior guard Jerome Smith, Jr.'s trey at 16:52 and another from Vuckovic in transition at 13:16. In less than seven minutes, North Park erased the deficit and tied the game at 46-46 on senior guard Kolden Vanlandingham's free throw.
From there, the game became a shootout as both teams traded blows. Swan answered with a three at 16:30, only for Smith Jr. to respond at 13:31. Vuckovic's step-back three at 4:02 gave North Park its first lead of the game, 68-67. Vanlandingham added a dagger from deep at 3:15, pushing the margin to four.
Anderson didn't wilt away, though. Troutman's three-pointer at 7:58 and Swan's clutch triple at 1:55 pulled the Ravens within one, 72-73. After Mattingly tied it at 73 with a free throw, Smith Jr.'s driving layup at 1:03 reclaimed the lead for North Park. Mattingly's tip-in dunk with 36 seconds left knotted the score at 75-75 as both coaches brought their teams in with timeouts to plan their final shots.
With 11 seconds remaining, Vanlandingham split a pair of free throws to put North Park ahead 76-75. Anderson had one last chance, but North Park forced a contested, guarded shot in the paint to fall by the wayside as the Vikings claimed the 76-75 win.
Shot Chart Insights
- North Park: 29-of-69 FG (42%), including 10-of-27 from three. The Vikings dominated late from deep, shooting 60% from three in the second half.
- Anderson: 29-of-68 FG (43%), but only 8-of-30 from three. The Ravens thrived in the paint (36 points) and on fast breaks (15 points), but couldn't match North Park's perimeter surge.
Top Performers
North Park
Anderson
- Kenney Troutman: 17 pts, 7-10 FG, 3-6 3PT
- Nolan Swan: 14 pts, 5-14 FG, 3-8 3PT, 4 ast, 4 stl
- Rob Davidson: 11 pts, 5-14 FG, 1-3 3PT, 8 reb
What's Next?
North Park is back inside the Carlson Gym for a home game against Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Saturday, November 29. Tipoff against the Pointers is set for 4:00 PM CT in Chicago.
