CHICAGO, Ill. – After their win over Concordia University Chicago, North Park Men's Basketball sits at 9-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play. At 9-3, the Vikings hold the second-best overall record in the CCIW and are in a three-way tie with Millikin and Carthage for the best conference record. That tie at 2-1 will soon break as teams gear up for the back half of the season, where every remaining game is a conference matchup, underscoring the importance of each contest leading up to the conference tournament in late February.
North Park kicks off the new year on the road against North Central College (5-7, 1-2). The two teams last met on December 13, when the Vikings earned a 95-84 home victory behind Mike Vuckovic's 26 points and four other Vikings scoring in double figures.
Despite their record, the Cardinals are not to be taken lightly. In that previous matchup, North Central had six players score at least 10 points and caused problems defensively with seven blocks and five steals. Leading the way for the Cardinals is Alejandro Diaz, their do-it-all player, averaging 13.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Against North Park, Diaz flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks. Supporting Diaz are Tyler Swierczek (11 PPG) and Sean Molloy, a 38% three-point shooter averaging just over 9 points per game.
North Central enters Saturday's matchup after competing in two holiday tournaments in Memphis, Tennessee, and Dubuque, Iowa—spending significant time away from home. This game marks the start of a three-game home stretch for the Cardinals, a stretch they hope will help them find rhythm heading into the season's second half.
The Vikings are coming off a double-digit win over Concordia Chicago, marking their fifth victory in the last six games. In that contest, four starters scored at least 13 points, and the bench contributed 23 points. North Park's offense continues to dominate, leading the CCIW with 91.2 points per game, an 8-point margin over the next highest-scoring team. Their success stems from disciplined ball movement, reflected in a 1.51 assist-to-turnover ratio and a conference-leading 250 assists this season.
Steering this high-powered offense are guards Kolden Vanlandingham and Mike Vuckovic, both ranking in the CCIW top 10 in multiple categories:
Supporting them are Julian Campbell, a dominant presence in the paint averaging 13 points and 1.3 blocks per game, and versatile forwards William Bates and Marquis Vance, who bring defensive intensity and scoring ability.
Tip-off is set for Saturday at 4:15 PM at North Central's Gregory Arena.
