WAUKESHA, Wis. -- North Park Men's Basketball (4-1, 0-0 CCIW) traveled to Carroll University (3-3, 0-0 CCIW) for their first conference matchup of the season, aiming to extend their winning streak to three and improve to 5-1. However, after being on the positive end of a buzzer beater on Saturday, the Vikings were on the wrong side of one on Wednesday in a 81-78 loss.

The first half was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team leading by more than six points. Junior guard Mike Vuckovic paced the Vikings with 12 points, knocking down three of five shots from beyond the arc while adding two rebounds and two assists. Freshman guard Marquis Vance and senior center Julian Campbell also contributed, scoring nine and eight points respectively. At halftime, Carroll held a slim 42-40 advantage.

The second half mirrored the first, as both teams continued trading baskets and exchanging leads. North Park showcased its depth offensively, with seven players scoring at least six points and four finishing in double figures. Campbell and Vuckovic stayed hot throughout the game. Campbell posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds on 54% shooting, while Vuckovic tallied 16 points and five assists on 50% shooting.

Defensively, the Vikings limited Carroll's production to two main threats: Michael McNabb, the CCIW's leading scorer, poured in a game-high 30 points, while Lamar Smith added 20.

With the game tied at 78-78 and just 1.9 seconds remaining, Carroll inbounded the ball from the backcourt. Smith found Peyton McKennastreaking to the right wing, where McKenna buried a contested three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pioneers an 81-78 victory.

What's Next?

North Park (4-2, 0-1 CCIW) will look to bounce back quickly as they face another tough conference opponent, Millikin (7-1, 1-0 CCIW), on Saturday.