ROCK ISLAND – A heated battle throughout, the Augustana Vikings men's basketball team went toe-to-toe with North Park on Wednesday night inside the Roy J. Carver Center. In a nail-biter that came down to the final seconds, the visitors slipped away with a 79–77 victory. The loss moves Augustana to 10-12 overall and 5-8 in CCIW play.
It took a few minutes for both teams to settle in, as defensive stands and strong rebounding defined the early tempo. Augustana broke through when Marieon Anderson powered in a layup through contact, igniting the offense. North Park applied early pressure and built a 9-2 edge before Jake Willems made an immediate impact off the bench, drilling a three-pointer just 20 seconds after checking in.
Anderson responded with back-to-back finishes at the rim to even the score, and Cam Atkinson followed with a deep triple to give the Vikings their first lead of the night, 12-11, just before the media timeout. The defensive intensity continued as both sides traded stops, but Augustana found another gear midway through the half. After Willems converted a pair at the line, Dani Romero knocked down a go-ahead three to make it 19-18 with 7:46 remaining.
From there, the Vikings seized momentum. Andre Klaver and Willems added strong interior finishes, while Atkinson buried back-to-back threes from beyond the arc to stretch the lead to 29-22. Willems then poured in five points in a 29-second span to push the advantage to 34-24, electrifying the Carver Center crowd. North Park attempted to chip away late in the half, but Augustana maintained control. Layups from Willems and Atkinson in the closing minutes helped the Vikings carry a 41-34 lead into the locker room.
North Park opened the second half with renewed urgency, trimming the deficit and eventually surging in front as the contest tightened. Despite the swing in momentum, Augustana refused to back down. Willems continued his strong night, connecting from deep to keep the Vikings within striking distance. Atkinson added another three-pointer, and Anderson battled inside for key finishes and free throws as the margin fluctuated with each posession.
Midway through the half, Augustana mounted a determined push. A layup from Romero, followed by a defensive stop and a strong interior bucket from Klaver, knotted the game at 69-69 with just under six minutes to play. The Vikings' resolve showed once again moments later when Anderson converted a pair at the stripe, and Willems answered with two clutch free throws in the final seconds to tie the game at 77-77. In the closing moments, the difference proved razor thin. After forcing North Park into a contested possession, the visitors converted a late basket with two seconds remaining to edge in front. Augustana's final opportunity was turned away as time expired.
Willems led the Vikings with 23 points, including four three-pointers, while Atkinson added 18 points with four triples of his own. Anderson chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds, and Klaver contributed 10 points and five boards off the bench.
The Vikings are back at the Roy J Carver Center on Saturday, February 14 when they host Carthage. That game is scheduled for a 4:15 p.m. tip-off.
