Game Notes: (MBK) North Park University @ North Central College (12/8/18)

Final Score
NPU 95, NCC 88

Game Summary
The Cardinals (6-1, 2-1) got off to their usual immediate good start, winning the tip and scoring on the opening possession. But the Vikings (3-7, 2-1) recovered, hitting a three in response and thus setting off a half full of lead changes. Each team led by as many as five at one point early on before settling into a heavyweight bout of trading blows, with North Park getting a 33-32 halftime lead on a buzzer beater. The close game continued in the second half, with North Park in control early but fending off a Cardinal group right on their heels. The Cardinals actually did take a 57-54 lead with about ten and a half to go, but that was the high water mark for the half, as North Park slowly started to regain control and pull away. The Cardinals did make it interesting in the final minute, pulling within four thanks to some threes, but North Park was phenomenal at the line to put it out of reach.

Key Players

• Toby Marek (NPU): 8-11 FG (1-1 3PT), 12-14 FT; 29 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk. Marek was just red hot in this one, but it was his ability to get to the line in the second half that really helped put the game out of reach. 22 of Marek's points came in the second stanza, including an 11-12 performance at the stripe.
• Kindrel Morris (NPU): 3-7 FG (0-2 3PT), 9-12 FT; 15 pts, 3 reb (1 off), 3 ast. Morris had a more understated impact, but was no less of a reason why the Vikings pulled the road upset. He scored all 15 of his points after halftime, going perfect from the floor and getting all his trips to the line in then. He did have four turnovers, but only one came after halftime.
• Blaise Meredith (NCC): 5-11 FG (0-2 3PT), 12-13 FT; 22 pts, 4 reb (1 off), 1 blk, 2 stl. Blaise had himself a pretty good night on the whole, especially offensively as he was able to get to the basket and thus the line almost at will. He did face some late foul trouble as his last two foul calls were questionable, and he could have gotten T'd up, but wasn't. Also not helping his cause was one of his misses, when he had a clear shot to the rack and went up for a dunk, but blew it.

Key Stats

• NCC: 7-23 3PT (30.4%). I think this number is a bit of an improvement, but on a night where your opponent just can't miss, you have to shoot a little better than this. Mike Pollack bumped this up some with a few late triples, so looking at a 2-11 first half really tells the tale to some degree. I've been saying for weeks that the shots will start to fall... but they need to start to fall soon. 
• NPU: 29-49 FG (59.2%), 8-14 3PT (57.1%), 29-34 FT (85.3%). I had to include their entire shooting line, because this is ridiculous. The Vikings just couldn't miss tonight. They did get quite a few easy layups as part of their 62 point second half, but they also got to the line and went 4-7 from deep in each half. You're going to be almost impossible to beat on a night like that. Tip the cap.

CCIW Scoreboard Watch

• MIL 77 (5-3, 1-2). @ CRL 75 (2-6, 0-3) 
• @ AUG 67 (7-1, 2-0), IWU 60 (7-2, 1-2)
• ELM 95 (4-3, 2-0), @ CAR 79 (4-5, 1-2)
• Bye: @ WHE 92 (7-2, 1-1), Olivet 81

Final Thoughts

Like the women's game, this one hurts. The Cardinals came into the night technically in first place by half a game by virtue of Augie having had the bye this past week and Elmhurst having had it a week ago. Instead, they couldn't take care of business at home against the team picked to finish last in the CCIW. To be fair, part of me looked at this game going in not knowing how it would go; this North Park team knocked off Wheaton at home last Saturday. But I didn't expect this.

A Cardinal defense that was allowing under 60 points a game for the year got lit up, especially in the second half. Some of this was North Park just hitting some ridiculous shots, and you have to tip your cap. But this is also an alarming first loss, especially with some tough games coming up. Hopefully this is just a hiccup, as the Cardinals welcome in non-conference rival Aurora on Wednesday night before wrapping up the December portion of CCIW play with a trip to Wheaton a week from tonight.