ROCK ISLAND, Ill. -- The Augustana Vikings men's basketball team will remain at home on Sunday, December 19 when they welcome in the first-place North Park Vikings in a CCIW showdown.
Augustana enters Sunday's meeting following a 92-82 home victory over the Carthage Firebirds last Saturday. Freshman
Chase Larsen posted a career-best 25 points in the game to help lead the Vikings to their best shooting performance of the season. Joining Larsen in double figures on the night was
Luke Johnson, who finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Matt Hanushewsky was next in line with a season-high 14 points, while
Nicolas Giliberto tallied 12 on 4-6 shooting and three made threes. The Vikings ended the night with a 55.4 percent mark from the field and were 56.3 percent from behind the arc. They held the Firebirds to just 30 percent (9-30) shooting from three-point range. Augie is undefeated this year at the Carver Center with a perfect 4-0 record.
North Park currently sits as the lone undefeated team in the CCIW with a 2-0 conference record. The Vikings of NPU are 5-2 overall and have won four straight overall after beginning the year 1-2. The team is coming off a home upset win over No. 7 Elmhurst as they held on for the 69-67 victory. Four players were in double figures in their upset win over the Bluejays, led by Jalen Boyd's 17 points. Boyd is second on the team in both points in rebounds at 15.3 pgg and 5.7 rpg. Michael Osborne is the team leader with 16.4 points per contest. North Park also matched up with Carthage this season, defeating the Firebirds 71-66 in Kenosha.
Augustana leads the all-time series between the two 85-40 and holds a current nine-game winning streak.. Their last encounter resulted in a 74-71 victory for Augie during the 2020-21 season. North Park's last victory came in 2017, an 87-82 triumph in Chicago. Augustana in averaging around 84 points per game over the teams' last 15 meetings.
Tip is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
Game coverage vs. North Park
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