Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana survived a wild end to regulation and a huge performance from Jordan Robinson Saturday, downing North Park 95-92 in overtime at Carver Center. The second-ranked Vikings put seven players in double figures for the second straight game and improved to 19-1 on the season and 8-1 in the CCIW. They kept pace with league co-leader North Central—their next opponent. North Park dropped to 13-7 overall and 5-4 in the conference—tied for fourth place with Illinois Wesleyan.
 
Augustana led for 38 minutes and 20 seconds straight, until two Robinson free throws drew the visitors even at 75-all with 20 seconds left in regulation. The hosts held for the last shot and Hunter Hill's (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) long two-pointer was off the mark. However, Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) was called for a foul on the rebound with just 2.5 seconds showing on the clock. With both teams in the double bonus, they walked to the other end for two potentially game-clinching free throws.
 
North Park's Armahn Mooring dropped in the first freebie to give his team its first lead (76-75) since 2-0. His second rimmed out and Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) grabbed the rebound and called timeout with 2.1 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds play, Jawan Straughter (Plainfield East HS, Bolingbrook, Ill.) was fouled setting a screen to free a shooter. His first free throw tied it at 76-all, but his second rolled off, sending the contest to overtime.
 
Straughter opened the extra session with a driving layup and Juwan Henry tied it at 78-all with a pair of free throws. Griffin Pils (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) finally gave Augustana the lead for good, 80-78, with a pair from the charity strip. That sparked a 9-1 Augustana run that pushed the lead to 87-79 with 2:19 to play. A Pils three-pointer capped the spurt.
 
The margin was still eight (89-81) with 1:14 to play, but a three-pointer by Mooring and eight straight points from Henry drew North Park within three at 95-92. Straughter missed a pair of free throws with 14 seconds left, but Joe Biko's potentially game-tying three-point attempt bounded out and Ryan grabbed his 14th rebound of the night to clinch the victory.

After North Park took a 2-0 lead on a pair of Darius Brown free throws, Hill hit a jumper from the right elbow and a pair of freebies to give the hosts a lead they would maintain for more than 38 minutes. Hill scored nine of Augustana's first 11 points. A Pils bucket with 9:28 left in the first half pushed the margin to double digits for the first time at 24-14. The lead reached 12 twice in the first half before two free tosses from Henry sent the teams to the locker room with Augustana up 43-33.
 
Straughter opened the second half with a three-pointer to account for the biggest lead of the night (46-33), but North Park outscored Augustana 43-30 over the rest of regulation.
 
Hill led the hosts with 18 points. He hit only three of 13 from the floor, but all 10 of his free throw attempts and dished out a game-high seven assists with no turnovers. Straughter added 15 and Pils and Brandon Motzel (Carmel HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) 13 each. Johnson dropped in a dozen and hauled down a career-high 17 rebounds. Ryan scored 11 to go with his 14 boards and Dylan Sortillo (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) finished 10 points.
 
Robinson scored a game-high 34 before fouling out in overtime and Henry scored 11 of his 25 in overtime.
 
Tonight's win sets up a showdown in Naperville, Illinois on Wednesday, February 3. Second-ranked Augustana visits 17th-ranked North Central (15-5, 8-1) in a battle of CCIW co-leaders. The winner will move into sole possession of the league lead with four games to play.