WAUKESHA, Wis. - Kyle Keranen celebrated the season opener in style.
Keranen, a 6-foot-1 senior guard from Arrowhead High School, contributed a team-high 20 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals to lead the Carroll University men's basketball team to a 75-57 victory over Principia College in the opening round of its own four-team Pioneer Tip-off Classic at Van Male Field House on Friday evening.
It was the fourth straight victory on Ted H. Baker Court dating back to last season for Carroll, which posted a program-best 11-1 record at home last year with its last loss coming to St. Norbert (74-72) on Jan. 16.
The Pioneers will face Blackburn College in the tournament finale at 3 p.m. today. Blackburn, 2-0 overall, defeated St. Scholastica 85-82 in the other first-round game.
Carroll outscored Principia 35-20 in the first half, including a crucial, momentum-building 13-2 run over a four-minute span.
Keranen, one of two seniors on the roster, had five consecutive points during the key stretch for the Pioneers, highlighted by a 3-point basket from the right side of the perimeter to extend the lead to 13-7 with 9:57 remaining.
"It was a great way to come out and start the season," said Keranen, a four-year returning starter who had 16 points in the first half. "Being the home opener, there was a lot of energy on campus and a good crowd, so it was nice to be able to overcome a slow start, pick it up midway through the first half and carry it over the rest of the way."
Keranen, who played a team-best 33 minutes, made all eight of his free throws in the contest.
"Having had seven tough tests coming into tonight's game (referring to five difficult exhibition games on the Canadian trip along with matchups versus Winona State and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater), we were confident in our abilities and knew what we needed to do," Keranen said. "We realize how special it is playing at home so we really attempted to bring a lot of energy to the floor and take advantage of the situation."
Carroll showcased its talent, depth and balance throughout the evening with nine players reaching the scoring column - including three in double figures.
Despite being plagued by first-half foul trouble, sophomore forward/center Tyler Ingebrigtsen (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) and sophomore guard Ben Widdes (Rice Lake, Wis.) each fought through the situation by finishing with 12 points.
Ingebrigtsen also grabbed eight rebounds and Widdes had three assists for Carroll, which shot 42 percent from field-goal range.
Senior guard/forward Joel Heesch (Mauston, Wis.) had nine points, a game-high 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals for Carroll, which converted seven 3-pointers and 14 of 15 free throws.
Junior guard/forward Tanner Zaeske (South Milwaukee, Wis.) had seven points with freshman guard Nick Penny (Lake Zurich, Ill.) adding seven points and seven rebounds.
Carroll outscored Principia 40-37 in the second half, including what proved to be a decisive 13-5 run during the opening five minutes.
The Pioneers outrebounded Principia 44-36 - maintaining a key 33-27 margin on the defensive glass.
Carroll fourth-year head coach Paul Combs was encouraged by his team's resilient performance in the season opener.
"We had a little bit of a slow start but our seniors (referring to Keranen and Heesch) stepped up to the challenge and helped to set the tone with their leadership," said Combs, whose team displayed its unselfishness by finishing with 16 assists. "That, along with the way Ingebrigtsen and Widdes battled through the foul trouble and continued to make big plays in the second half, really made an impact for us tonight.
"Being the season opener, we were still attempting to find our way at times but all in all it was great to come away with a hard-fought victory against a challenging team like Principia. Home games are always special so it was nice to get the season started on a positive note and make the most of the opportunity to play in front of all the great fans, family and friends. We take a lot of pride in playing well on our home court so it was exciting to see that trend continue."
Senior guard/forward Adaku Anumu had 20 points with four 3-pointers for Principia, which dropped to 0-2 overall. Sophomore guard Micah Paulson added 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot for the Panthers, who shot 32 percent from the field, made five 3-pointers and were successful on 14 of 18 free throws.
PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University men's basketball team defeated Principia College 75-57 in the opening round of its own Pioneer Tip-off Classic (sponsored by Nicholas Investments) at Van Male Field House on Friday evening.
Scoring Leaders: Kyle Keranen (20 points), Ben Widdes (12 points), Tyler Ingebrigtsen (12 points), Joel Heesch (9 points)
Rebound Leaders: Heesch (12), Ingebrigtsen (8), Nick Penny (7), Keranen (5)
Notable: The Pioneers made seven 3-pointers, converted 14 of 15 free throws and outscored Principia 35-20 in the first half - including a critical 13-2 run over a key, four-minute stretch.
