CHICAGO, Ill. -- North Park men's basketball (8-2, 2-1) hit the road Saturday afternoon playing against #20 ranked UW-Eau Claire (10-0, 0-0) on Sunday afternoon. The Vikings played right alongside the 20th-ranked and undefeated Blugolds but fell, 70-66. This snaps the Vikings' impressive four-game winning streak and moves their overall season record to 8-3.
The Vikings entered the half with a slight 36-33 lead, but the undefeated Blugolds got into a rhythm and had very efficient second half to secure the narrow non-conference victory. While North Park won the battle on the glass, pulling down 37 rebounds to the Blugolds' 33, Eau-Claire's ability to get to and convert at the free-throw line ultimately proved to be the difference in the four-point contest. The Vikings only shot seven free throws, making 5, while the Blugolds went 17-23 from the stripe.
North Park saw three players in double figures with freshman guard Marquis Vance finishing as the Vikings' leading scorer with 17 points on 8-13 shooting, while also leading the team with a career-high 9 rebounds. Senior guard Mike Vuckovic played all 40 minutes and was the team's primary playmaker, tallying 15 points (5-15 FG) and a team-high 5 assists alongside 2 steals. Senior center Julian Campbell had 13 points and 8 rebounds. Off the bench, junior forward Tyvin Garrison provided a spark, contributing 8 points, including a huge three late in the game to pull the Vikings back within 2 points after going down 9 points down the stretch. Overall North Park struggled from long distance, shooting 25.7% (9-35) from three-point range, and were hampered by foul trouble, as both Vance and senior guard Kolden Vanlandingham ultimately fouled out.
The Blugolds were paced by a standout performance from forward Xavier Lewis, who led all scorers with 19 points. Guard Andre Renta was also instrumental for Eau-Claire, filling the stat sheet with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and a game-high 6 assists. Forward Will Boser chipped in 10 points and 7 rebounds, and Carter Lichtsinn led all players with 12 rebounds. The Vikings fought valiantly against one of the top teams in the nation, but the Blugolds' ability to convert crucial foul shots and their interior scoring proved just enough to hold off North Park's charge.
What's Next?
The Vikings now head into the holiday break before resuming their season on December 30th when they host the Concordia University Chicago (4-6, 3-1). Tipoff in Carlson Gym is set for 4:00 PM CT.
