CHICAGO, Ill. -- North Park Men's Basketball (6-2, 2-1) put on an offensive showcase Monday night at the Carlson Gymnasium, routing Greenville University (2-7, 0-3) 138-117 in a non-conference thriller to improve their season record to 7-2. The Vikings dominated the contest throughout, scoring 68 points in the first half and matching that output with 70 points in the second. The team's phenomenal shooting efficiency was the key, as North Park converted 55 of 85 field goal attempts (64.7%) and absolutely controlled the interior, racking up an incredible 92 points in the paint.
The Vikings distributed the ball masterfully, tallying a massive 39 team assists on the night and setting a new program record that was previously set at 35 assists in 1990. North Park's 138 points is also a new program record, one that was set in the 1986-1987 season when the Vikings put up 128 against Bishop College.
The high-powered attack was spearheaded by four Vikings reaching double-digit scoring, showcasing North Park's deep and balanced roster. Freshman guard Marquis Vance delivered a game-high and career high 32 points on a scorching 15-of-17 shooting from the field, while also adding 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. Fellow guard Mike Vuckovic poured in 27 points (11-18 FG, 2-5 3FG) along with 3 assists and 3 steals in just under 19 minutes of play. Rounding out the top scoring trio is junior guard Jerome Smith, Jr., who was the team's primary playmaker as well, finishing with a career high 18 points and a career high 9 assists, throwing in 6 rebounds as well.
The Vikings received significant contributions throughout the lineup, with senior guard Kolden Vanlandingham adding 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting, pulling down 8 rebounds, and dishing out 4 assists. Junior forward Tyvin Garrison had a perfect shooting night from the floor, contributing 11 points (3-3 FG, 1-1 3FG) and 7 rebounds, while senior guard William Bates chipped in 11 points and 4 assists. The North Park bench proved instrumental, contributing 47 points to the final tally.
Greenville, now 2-8, mounted a persistent attack, putting up 117 points of their own, thanks in large part to 70 points coming from their bench players. Greenville was led by guard Joshua Williford, who scored 25 points on an impressive 9-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-2 from three-point range. Sheldon Grant II followed with 19 points (7-11 FG), and center Tim Lofton put up a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, alongside 4 blocks. Joseph Schreiber-Rivera also scored 16 points, and Elijah Goad added 11 points (3-8 3FG) for the Panthers.
What's Next?
The Vikings (7-2) host Cornell College (0-8) on Thursday, December 18th at home with tipoff taking place at 4pm.
