BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- North Park University men's basketball fell short against the 18th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University Titans inside the Shirk Center on Saturday night, 79-59.
After trailing by as many as 25 points early, the Vikings began to narrow the deficit. Midway through the second half, North Park ignited a 10-0 scoring run that cut the distance to just 11 points with 10:08 remaining. The rally was fueled by senior guard Kolden Vanlandingham, who delivered on both ends of the floor, converting a pair of free throws, finishing a fast-break layup off his own steal, and assisting on a key three-pointer by junior guard Jahki Gray.Â
The Vikings outscored Illinois Wesleyan in fast-break points (14-4 in the second half) and dominated points off turnovers (11-5 after halftime), strong shooting by the Titans (12-for-26 from three) and a pair of 10-rebound players (Mason Funk and Noah Cleveland) led the Titans to a successful home court defense.
Vanlandingham led all North Park scorers with 18 points, adding nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals in a standout effort. Freshman guard Marquis Vance contributed 10 points and nine boards, while junior guard Mike Vuckovic chipped in 10 points.
Illinois Wesleyan was paced by Funk, who scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Casen Lawrence added 15 points on five three-pointers, and Karlo Colak matched him with 15 points and seven rebounds.
Top Performers
North Park
Illinois Wesleyan
- Mason Funk – 24 points, 10 rebounds
- Casen Lawrence – 15 points (5-8 3PT)
- Karlo Colak – 15 points, 7 rebounds
What's Next?
North Park (10-4, 3-2 CCIW) heads to Kenosha, Wisonssin this Wednesday, January 14, for an away game against current league leader Carthage College (10-4, 4-1). The Vikings look to snap the Firebirds' six-game win streak at 7:00 PM CT inside Tarble Arena.
