APPLETON, Wis. -- A young Lawrence University men's basketball team ran into a tough No. 21 North Park University squad Wednesday and dropped an 84-57 nonconference decision at Alexander Gymnasium.
    North Park used its size, length and experience to take command early and pull away in the season opener for both teams.
    Matthew Kaznikov led Lawrence with nine point, and rookie Hogan Demovsky added seven points and four rebounds in his debut. Will Thomas and Manu Redah both came off the bench to chip in with six points apiece for Lawrence. Carson Nichols grabbed eight rebounds and added four points in his first collegiate contest.
    Davante Robinson went 7-for-12 from 3-point range and led North Park, which made it to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament last season, with 23 points.  
    North Park jumped out to an 11-point lead just 6:25 into the game, and Lawrence closed to within eight on Adnan Sarancic's 3-pointer, but North Park pulled away over the final 10 minutes of the first half. Robinson hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the first half to give North Park a 49-20 lead at the break.
    North Park's lead hovered in the 25-30 point range in the second half, and North Park would lead by as many as 35 points.
    Lawrence returns to nonconference action on Saturday when it travels to UW-Stevens Point.