SPORTS: Wheaton Squeaks Past North Park Vikings

CHICAGO (February 2, 2000) - Luke Moo scored 22 points and Wheaton College hit 14 consecutive foul shots in the closing moments to hold off North Park University (NPU) 78-74 in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game played in the Vikings' gym.

The Vikings (14-5, 5-3 in the CCIW) trailed throughout, but took a 62-61 lead with 3:56 remaining on a Robert Berki lay-up after two Kerry Pates free throws. Pates led NPU with 21 points.

But, a three-point basket by Michael Collins (18 points) started an 8-0 run and Wheaton (12-5, 3-3) iced the game from the free throw line to upset the 25th-ranked hosts. The Crusaders had taken a 60-53 lead with 6:09 left before Rick Alspach keyed an NPU comeback with two free throws and a three-point play during a seven-second stretch.

Alspach scored all 13 of his points in the second half, which enabled NPU to overcome a 31-25 deficit at intermission. The Vikings shot just 32 percent (10-of-31 field goals) and trailed by as many as 13 points following a 16-4 Wheaton spurt midway through the first half.

Trailing 69-62 with 2:24 remaining, NPU made its last run, scoring six straight points to narrow the gap to 69-68 on two Kerry Pates foul shots, two Alspach free throws after a technical foul was called on Wheaton coach Bill Harris, and a driving lay-up by Jason Collins at the 1:47 mark. Robert Berki had 16 points and Collins added 12 off the bench to support the efforts of NPU's starting guards.

Wheaton responded with two Moo foul shots and forced an NPU turnover - the Vikings never got closer than three points thereafter. North Park plays at Augustana Saturday, trailing Illinois Wesleyan by two games and Carthage College, a 79-67 winner over Elmhurst, by one game in the CCIW race.

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