Chicago, Ill – The Wheaton College men's basketball team picked up a 75-52 victory at North Park (5-12/1-5 CCIW) on Saturday afternoon. Wheaton, ranked 22nd in this week's D3hoops.com Top-25, has won five straight games and owns an overall record of 14-3, with a 5-1 mark in CCIW play. Wheaton will remain on the road for its next contest, a 7:30 PM tipoff at Augustana on Tuesday night.

North Park came out and took an early 11-5 lead in the first six minutes of the game. However, the Thunder responded with a 10-2 run to take a 15-13 lead with 11:30 remaining in the first half. Wheaton held a narrow two-point advantage at 26-24 with three minutes left in the opening half when the guests put together an 8-1 scoring surge to close out the half. Wheaton's run in the final three minutes allowed the guests to hold a 34-25 lead at halftime.

Wheaton All-American Tim McCrary scored his team's first eight points of the second half as he contributed all of the Thunder points in an 8-2 run for the guests to open the half with a 42-27 lead with 13:30 left in the game. Wheaton maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the game. The largest lead of the night for the Thunder was a 26-point bulge at 75-49 with 1:25 left in the game.

McCrary led Wheaton with 24 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. Senior Jeremy Pflederer scored 18 points, with six three-pointers. Sophomore Tyler Peters shot 4-for-5 from the field, including two three pointers in scoring 13 points. The guard also contributed six rebounds, with five assists and four steals. Aaron Garriott and Peter Smith each scored six points for the Thunder.

Mike Gabriel led North Park with 14 points and five rebounds. Roshawn Russell added 11 points off the hosts' bench.

Wheaton shot 51% (24-47) from the field, with a sparkling 62.5% (10-16) from three-point range and 70/8% (17-24) at the free throw line. The Vikings were held to a 40% (18-45) field goal percentage with 28.6% (4-14) from behind the three-point arc and 57.1% (12-21) at the free throw line. Wheaton out-rebounded the Vikings 34-25, with a 7-6 edge on the offensive glass for the hosts.