CHICAGO, Ill. - Carroll men's basketball showed poise with a quick turnaround on Tuesday night, traveling to North Park University to beat inclement weather for a game originally scheduled for Wednesday. Carroll righted the ship, defeating the Vikings 90-84 to snap a six-game losing streak. Carroll (7-15, 3-10 CCIW) shot nearly 53 percent from the field and over 43 percent from three-point range. North Park (14-9, 9-5 CCIW) shot just under 45 percent on the night and over 36 percent from deep. The two teams were even on the glass, both corralling 34 total boards, with the Vikings edging the Pios 15-to-10 on the offensive boards.
The game's leading scorer was Viking junior Lance Nelson, who scored 20 points in 31 minutes of play. The Pioneers had a very balanced scoring attack, with all five starters scoring in double figures. Senior Kobe Simpson led the way with 17 points on efficient 7-for-9 shooting, including 3-for-4 on attempts beyond the arc. Following Kobe were fellow seniors Erik Victorson, who contributed 17 points and made five crucial threes, Aaron Wafford, scoring 15, and Eckahelo Simpson who scored 10 points and corralled five rebounds. Rounding out the double-digit scoring was junior center Jacob Naber, who combined 14 points with seven rebounds to lead the Pioneers inside.
The first half was a gritty, back-and-forth battle, as neither team separated by more than a single basket through the first 10 minutes of play. An 8-3 Viking run gave them their largest lead of the game at eight points. Carroll responded with a 22-8 run, eight points of which came from the hands of Wafford jumpers, to go into the locker rooms with a 44-38 advantage.
Carroll built on their hot shooting, taking a double-digit lead two minutes into the second half with a 7-2 spurt. That lead grew to 12 when graduate senior Justin Steinike scored all eight of his points in a matter of three minutes. North Park, a dangerous team that scores in bunches, came within a few possessions, but Carroll weathered any storm, gaining their largest lead of the contest with five minutes to play when Kobe Simpson sank a longball to give Carroll a 77-63 advantage. North Park found a rhythm on offense and forced multiple turnovers on defense as they went on 16-2 fury in just over three minutes to tie the game at 79. That was as close as the Vikings would get, as Carroll closed the game with an 11-5 run, including 6-for-6 at the charity stripe down the stretch. For the first time in seven contests, the Pios found themselves in the win column, leaving Chicago with a 90-84 victory.
Carroll will look to continue building their momentum on Saturday, February 15, when they host Augustana College (IL) for another CCIW matchup. Tip-off from Van Male Fieldhouse will be at 4:15 p.m.
