ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – It was Senior Night in the Carver Center and a second half comeback allowed Augustana to send its five seniors out with an important 62-56 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin win over North Park. The victory pushed head coach Mark Beinborn's team over .500 at 13-12 overall and left the Vikings at 8-8 in the CCIW, good for fifth place in the final league standings.
 
In the early going the visitors from Chicago controlled the action and jumped out to an 18-8 lead after the first quarter and led 32-23 at halftime. Eventually the North Park lead would build to 11 (36-25) with 7:39 left in the third after Jayla Johnson scored on a fast break. The Vikings went on a 17-4 run and when freshman Macy Beinborn (Pleasant Valley HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) drilled a three-point basket with 1:32 left.
 
The run started when sophomore Daina Riser (Lake Pak HS, Medinah, Ill.) scored in a jump shot in the paint with 7:13 to play. Sophomore Chaddah Hodges (Miller Career Academy, St. Louis, Mo.) hit a pair of free throws, freshman Gabriela Loiz (Alleman Catholic HS, Davenport, Iowa) hit a basket, senior Jeni Crain (Woodstock HS, Woodstock, Ill.) scored inside and suddenly the lead was just five (38-33) with 3:57 left. Senior Alexis Jones (Marist HS, Chicago, Ill.) scored at 3:25 to make it 38-35 and sophomore Lauren Hall (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) tallied inside at 2:45 to bring the Vikings within one (38-37).
 
Beinborn's three gave Augustana its first lead of the night although North Park got two free throws from Jacki Rapp with four seconds left to tie the game 40-40 heading into the final period.
 
North Park led 55-54 with 1:45 remaining on a three-point field goal from Lauryn Alba Garner but Loiz answered with a layup off a nice feed from Crain to put the Vikings ahead 56-55 with 1:35 left. The two teams went without scoring for over a minute when Loiz hit two free throws with :34 left to make it 58-55. After North Park missed a shot, Hall collected the rebound and got it to senior Mia Lambert (Macomb HS, Macomb, Ill.). Lambert was fouled and made both free throws with :20 left to make it 60-55.
 
After North Park hit one of two free throws to make it 60-55 with :15 left Lambert hit two free throws to account for the final score.
 
Augustana was led in scoring by Loiz with 13 points while Jones had 11 and Crain dropped in 10. Jones came up with 16 rebounds and she went over the 200 rebound mark in CCIW play, making her just the fourth player in league history and the first since 1991 to eclipse that mark. Jones also had four assists and a steal while Crain led the team in assists with five and had one steal.
 
North Park got 17 points and 13 rebounds from Jayla Johnson as the visitors fell to 17-8 overall and 10-6 in the CCIW. North Park, which was 9-1 through the first 10 games of the conference schedule, lost for the fifth time in the last six outings.
 
Augustana will play at Millikin on Tuesday, February 25 in the opening round of the CCIW Tournament with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m.