ELMHURST, I.. – In a contest that came down to the final buzzer, the North Park Men's Basketball secured an 81-79 victory over Elmhurst University on Saturday afternoon. Senior guard Mike Vuckovic calmly ank two clutch free throws as time expired to seal the win and help the Vikings improve to an 8-8 record in CCIW play.  

The Vikings controlled much of the first half, utilizing a dominant interior presence to build a 39-33 lead at the break. North Park's aggressive play in the paint was a theme throughout the afternoon, as they outscored the Bluejays 52-38 and relied on a deep rotation that provided 29 bench points.

Mike Vuckovic led the charge for North Park, finishing with a team-high 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists in 39 minutes of action. He was joined in double figures by Kolden Vanlandingham, who poured in 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Vikings also received a massive boost from big man Julian Campbell off the bench, doing most of his damage inside with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting and grabbing 6 rebounds in just 14  minutes.

Elmhurst (17-8, 10-6 CCIW) mounted a fierce second-half comeback, outscoring the Vikings 46-42 in the final period to erase the deficit and set up the dramatic finish. The Bluejays were led by Aidyn Boone who finished with a game-high 21 points and 3 steals. Dominic Trelenberg (15), Vinnie Adjahoungbeta (14), and Luke Smith (13) rounded our the  double digit scoring starting group.  Despite the Bluejays' late-game surge, North Park's efficiency from the floor (59.3%) and their ability to stay composed in front of a crowd of 878 fans proved to be the difference. With the game tied at 79 and time winding down, Vuckovic was fouled on the final play, stepping to the line to knock down the deciding points.

The Vikings will look to carry this momentum into a CCIW Quaterfinals home game on Tuesday, February 24, hosting fifth-seeded Wheaton College. Tipoff in Chicago is set for 7:00 PM CT.