NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- North Park (10-3, 3-1 CCIW) opened 2026 with an emphatic 92-87 overtime victory on the road against North Central College (5-8, 1-3 CCIW) at Gregory Arena in Naperville, Illinois. This marked North Central's first home game since December 13 after an extended road swing through Michigan, Tennessee, and Iowa.

North Central came out energized, building a lead that stretched to 13 points in the opening period. Despite losing minutes from starting guard Alejandro Diaz due to a twisted ankle early in the game, the Cardinals leaned on Tyler Swierczek, Sean Molloy, and Seth Cheney. Swierczek was lethal from deep, hitting 4-of-6 threes en route to 21 points. Molloy added 10 points in the midrange, while Cheney contributed 15 points and six rebounds. Defensively, Ethan Marlowe anchored the paint with five blocks in the first half alone, tying the 2025-26 CCIW single-game high for blocks. North Central dominated inside, outscoring North Park 16-8 in the paint, and took a 47-34 lead into halftime.

The Vikings refused to fold, erasing an 18-point deficit despite foul trouble. Mike Vuckovic spearheaded the comeback, finishing with a game-high 28 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Kolden Vanlandingham chipped in 15 points, and Jahki Gray added 14, including clutch free throws down the stretch (6-of-7 from the line).

Gray's late makes tied the game and helped seal the win. Forward Lazario Cornish, returning from a month-long absence, provided key defensive versatility and rebounding in just 13 minutes, countering North Central's size advantage.

North Park outscored North Central 12-7 in the extra period, with Vuckovic and Gray delivering timely buckets. Despite five Cardinals scoring in double figures and every player contributing, North Central couldn't withstand the Vikings' surge. The Vikings' bench added 29 points to help NPU remain tied atop the league standings. Vuckovic led all scorers with 28, shooting a blistering 11-14 from the field to secure the sixth 20+ point performance of his junior season.

North Park also enjoyed a season-high 32 trips to the free-throw line, tying for a season best with 22 makes.

What's Next?

North Park travels to Bloomington on Saturday, January 10, to face Illinois Wesleyan University (10-3, 2-2). Tipoff inside the Shirk Center is set for 4:15 PM.