CHICAGO, Ill. -- Carlson Gymnasium was the stage for a heart-stopping finish as North Park University Women's Basketball erased an 11-point deficit and stunned the Augustana Vikings, 61-60, marking North Park's first conference win of the season.
The night began with Augustana asserting control inside, as Cali Papez powered through the lane for early buckets and Tia Lewis cleaned the glass. By mid-second quarter, the Rock Island Vikings had built their largest lead at 25-14, punctuated by a smooth three-pointer from Paige Melton. But North Park refused to fold on its home court.
The turning point came late in the second quarter when senior guard Kathryn Keehn's steal ignited a 9-0 NPU run. Keehn fed freshman guard Ava Couture for a jumper, then junior guard Teresa Morrissey drilled a three from the wing to cut the gap. Suddenly, the energy shifted. North Park's full-court pressure began to bite, forcing hurried passes and turnovers that set the tone for the comeback.
The third quarter was a tug-of-war. Augustana surged ahead again behind Papez's hook shot and a fast-break layup from Ciara Hull, but North Park kept countering. Morrissey's deep three and Hershberger's coast-to-coast layup closed the period with the Chicago Vikings trailing just 46-41.
Then came the fourth-quarter comeback. Keehn opened the frame with two free throws, and moments later, senior forward Shay Bowen's steal led to Morrissey racing the floor for a layup, slicing the deficit to one. With 5:33 remaining, junior forward Caroline Long muscled in a layup off a Keehn assist to give North Park its first lead of the night, 49-48.
After Augustana reclaimed the lead at 57-55 on a Papez layup, Hershberger answered with a driving score up the left side and past her bench to tie it. Keehn calmly sank two free throws to knot the game again at 57-57. Then, with eight seconds left, Long stepped to the line and buried both shots for a 59-57 edge. Hershberger added two more free throws for breathing room at 61–57, which was just enough to withstand Jazmeriah Jones' desperation three at the buzzer.
North Park's relentless defense told the story: 26 Augustana turnovers, many coming in crunch time, fueled fast breaks and flipped momentum. The Chicago Vikings turned those miscues into 29 points en route to a much-needed conference victory.
Top Performers
North Park:
- Aliyah Hershberger – Spark plug in transition, 16 points including clutch free throws.
- Kathryn Keehn – Floor general, 15 points, 5 assists, key steals in comeback.
- Caroline Long – 11 points, including go-ahead free throws with eight seconds left.
Augustana:
- Cali Papez – Dominant inside, 18 points, 14 rebounds.
- Paige Melton – Timely shooting, 8 points, 8 boards.
- Tia Lewis – Defensive anchor, 12 rebounds.
What's Next?
North Park (5-10, 1-5 CCIW) hosts Elmhurst University (8-7, 4-3 CCIW) this coming Saturday, January 17, as part of a doubleheader with the men's team. Tipoff in Carlson Gym is set for 2:00 PM CT.
