Covenant News

Vikings Upset 11th-Ranked Carthage College

CHICAGO (February 21, 2000) - Kerry Pates scored 24 points and added four assists and three steals as North Park University upset 11th-ranked Carthage College 83-79 Saturday in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game played at the Vikings' gym.

Pates scored his biggest points with 28 seconds remaining, converting a three-point play after Brett Nishibayashi's 3-point shot had narrowed NPU's lead to 76-74. A 3-point basket by Greg Ktistou (23 points) put Carthage within two points again at 79-77, but Rick Alspach made two foul shots and Micah Watkins scored on a dunk in the final 15 seconds to ice the contest and keep Carthage from earning its first outright CCIW title ever.

NPU, which made just 3-of-22 of its 3-point baskets three days earlier in a loss to North Central College, hit 8-of-15 long-range shots against Carthage. The Vikings made 56 percent of their field goal tries and 19-of-22 foul shots while beating Bosko Djurickovic, who had led North Park to 196 wins and a pair of national titles during a 10-year stint as head coach.

Alspach supported Pates with 16 points while Robert Berki had 13 and Watkins 10. Keith Peterson led the Vikings with seven rebounds.

NPU is now 16-7, 7-5 in the CCIW while Carthage fell to 21-3, 10-3. The Vikings have slim hopes for a NCAA Division III playoff at-large bid, but cannot win the automatic berth, which comes with the CCIW title. NPU hosts Millikin at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Elmhurst at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, but will need some help in order to have any chance for a playoff bid.

Carthage can still clinch the CCIW title outright by beating host Wheaton College, 17-5, 8-3 Thursday. Wheaton can tie for the CCIW title by winning games against Elmhurst (February 22), Carthage and Augustana (February 26).

Illinois Wesleyan, 16-7, 8-4, must hope for a Carthage loss Thursday and a Wheaton loss this week in order a share of the CCIW title. The Titans play North Central College and Millikin in their final games.

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