Kenosha, WI., -- The Vikings (10-4, 3-2) faced a challenging conference road test on Wednesday night, falling 103-66 to Carthage (10-4, 4-1) at Tarble Arena. Despite a resilient effort and several early lead changes, the Vikings were unable to keep pace with a high-powered Firebirds offense that shot over 53% from the field. The loss moves North Park to a 10-5 overall record and a 3-3 mark in CCIW play as they look to rebound in their next conference outing.

The contest began as a back-and-forth affair, featuring seven lead changes in the opening period. North Park found success in the interior, racking up 40 points in the paint throughout the game. However, Carthage's perimeter shooting proved to be the difference maker, as they connected on 11 three-pointers and built a 53-35 lead by halftime. The Vikings were led offensively by the duo of Marquis Vance and Kolden Vanlandingham, who each tallied 14 points. Vance was a force on the glass as well, tying for the team high with 7 rebounds, while Vanlandingham served as the primary facilitator, dishing out a team-best 5 assists.

Several other Vikings made notable contributions in the effort, as Mike Vuckovic played 29 minutes, finishing with 9 points and matching Vance's 7 rebounds. William Bates provided a spark in the first half with 7 points, finishing with 9 points and 4 rebounds in 16 minutes of action, while Dylan Fuzak and Jahki Gray each chipped in 5 points. While the Vikings won the points-in-the-paint battle 40-36, they struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 21.7% compared to Carthage's 36.7%.

Carthage (11-4, 5-1 CCIW) was powered by a stellar individual performance from their leading scorer Riley Brooks, who poured in a game-high 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting, including five triples. AJ Johnson was equally effective, scoring 22 points while going a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. The Firebirds also received double-digit scoring from Antuan Nesbitt and Ryan Johnson, who both scored 11 points, while Griffin Daun anchored their defense with a game-high 11 rebounds.

North Park will now return home to regroup and prepare for their next game against Elmhurst University on Saturday, January 17th.