ROCK ISLAND, Ill. -- North Park men's basketball earned a gritty 79-77 road win at Augustana on Wednesday night, overcoming an 11-point second-half deficit and executing in the final minute behind the steady scoring of senior guard Kolden Vanlandingham.
North Park opened the game with pace and efficiency, striking first on a three from junior guard Mike Vuckovic at the 19:04 mark. A tip-in from senior guard William Bates, followed by a mid-range jumper from freshman guard Marquis Vance, helped NPU build a 7-2 lead. Moments later, another Bates layup pushed the advantage to 9-2, their largest margin of the opening half. But Augustana responded immediately, stringing together a 7-0 run capped by consecutive finishes from Marieon Anderson to tie the game at 9–9 with 14:49 left. The hosts then found their rhythm on the perimeter, sparked by triples from Cam Atkinson and a burst of scoring from Jake Willems, who converted three three-pointers in the final four minutes of the half. Willems' transition three at 3:13 helped send Augustana into halftime leading 41-34.
Augustana extended its lead early in the second half, scoring back-to-back layups to make it 49-37 with 18:11 remaining, their largest lead of the game. North Park then began its push, starting with a right-wing three from junior forward Lazario Cornish at 17:47 and followed quickly by consecutive layups from Vanlandingham, including a transition finish at 16:31. Cornish then intercepted a pass and drew a foul, sinking both free throws at 16:17 to bring NPU to a one-possession game at 49-46. Though Augustana briefly pushed the margin back to 54-46 and later 59-48 after a Willems three at 14:00, North Park refused to let the game slip away.
NPU mounted its largest surge midway through the half. Vuckovic drilled a deep three at 13:48, Cornish scored on a steal-and-finish at 13:34, and junior gurad Jerome Smith Jr. buried a transition three at 10:02 to give North Park its first lead since the early minutes at 64-61. Moments later, a Vanlandingham steal set up a fast-break layup from Vance that tied the game at 61-61 before Smith's three pushed NPU ahead. At the 9:26 mark, Vance knocked down a jumper that pushed North Park's lead to 66-61, completing a 10-0 run to showcase their biggest of the night.
The closing minutes featured constant pressure and repeated ties. After Augustana pulled even at 69-69 with 5:48 remaining, Vanlandingham calmly knocked down four straight free throws to restore the lead. The hosts answered again, eventually tying the game at 77-77 on two Willems free throws with 18 seconds left. North Park kept possession for the final shot. With the clock winding down, Vanlandingham took the game into his hands and attacked the lane, finishing a driving layup on the left side with two seconds remaining, giving NPU the decisive 79-77 advantage.
Augustana's final attempt on the inbounds pass resulted in a turnover before time expired, sealing North Park's comeback win.
North Park's Leaders
• Kolden Vanlandingham: 29 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
• Marquis Vance: 13 points, 6 rebounds
• Mike Vuckovic: 13 points, 2 assists, 1 steal
• Lazario Cornish: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks
• Jerome Smith Jr.: 8 points, 2 rebounds and a key spark in the second half
Augustana's Leaders
• Jake Willems: 23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
• Cam Atkinson: 18 points, 2 rebounds
• Marieon Anderson: 15 points, 7 rebounds
• Andre Klaver: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals
What's Next?
North Park (13-9, 6-7 CCIW) hosts Wheaton College (12-10, 6-7) on Saturday, February 14, for a Senior Day game in Chicago. Tipoff is set for 4:15 PM CT.
