CHICAGO, Ill. -- North Park University men's basketball earned a 99-63 road victory over Millikin University on Wednesday night, tying a program-best with 17 made three pointers. Junior guard Mike Vuckovic paved the way for the barrage, shooting 7-of-9 from deep total a game-leading 29 points.

Millikin (13-8, 5-7 CCIW) opened the scoring in the game's first possession, but North Park answered immediately and established its offensive rhythm within the opening minutes. Vuckovic connected on multiple three-pointers during the first half as the Vikings consistently scored in transition and early offense. North Park (12-9, 5-7 CCIW) turned several defensive stops into quick baskets, with senior guard Kolden Vanlandingham and freshman guard Marquis Vance contributing finishes around the rim to keep the distance shooting available.

A constant first-half run pushed the Vikings into double figures before the midway point of the period. Junior center Julian Campbell provided a spark off the bench, scoring on back-to-back possessions as North Park continued to stretch the floor. Vuckovic added another three-pointer late in the half as part of a scoring burst that allowed the Vikings to close the opening half with a 55-31 advantage.

North Park maintained its momentum after the break. Vanlandingham opened the second half with a strong drive to the basket and Vuckovic followed with another three-pointer as the lead continued to grow. Junior forward Tyvin Garrison added points in the paint during the early second-half drives, helping the Vikings grow its lead.

The decisive stretch of the game came midway through the second half when North Park tallied 16 unanswered points. During the run, Campbell scored from long range, freshman guard Harrison Long knocked down consecutive three-pointers in limited minutes, and Vance converted off a turnover to extend the margin past 40 points. The Vikings' scoring numbers remained steady throughout the stretch, preventing Millikin from mounting a response.

Millikin found offense primarily through Nate Straughter, who connected on multiple three-pointers in the second half, including a brief run of his own that trimmed the margin late. North Park, however, continued to answer with timely scoring, including a final three-pointer from Long and a layup by junior forward Lazario Cornish to close out the game.

North Park finished the contest shooting 59.1% (39-66) from the field and 56.7% (17-30) from three-point range. Vuckovic's seven made threes are the most since Vanlandingham had the same total against Central College on December 30, 2023. Coincidentally, that's the same game where the Vikings buried 17 threes. The previous 17 three-point game for North Park was against Rust College on January 8, 1990.

Top Performers

North Park

• Mike Vuckovic: 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 7-of-9 from three-point range

• Kolden Vanlandingham: 13 points, six rebounds, four steals

• Marquis Vance: 11 points, three rebounds, three assists

• Julian Campbell: 12 points, five rebounds off the bench

• Harrison Long: 11 points in just over five minutes of action

• 17 threes made are the most against a conference opponent in program history, topping the Vikings' 15 made treys at Elmhurst on January 20, 2016

Millikin

• Nate Straughter: 28 points, six three-pointers

• McGrady Noyes: Seven rebounds, three points

• Caden Nichols: Six points, three rebounds

• Bryce Newsome: Four points, four rebounds

What's Next?

North Park has the Saturday bye and will return to conference action on Wednesday, February 11, to face Augustana College. Tipoff at the Carver Center in Rock Island, Illinois is set for 7:00 PM CT.