WAUKESHA, Wis. - Tyler Ingebrigtsen was a force in the paint.
Ingebrigtsen, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound sophomore forward from Elk Grove Village, Ill., scored 13 points to provide a critical spark as the Carroll University men's basketball team defeated Millikin University 66-49 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday.
It was the third home-court victory of the season for Carroll, which snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 2-2 in conference and 7-6 overall.
The Pioneers outscored Millikin 36-16 in the pivotal first half, including what proved to be a decisive 26-6 run over the course of the opening 12 minutes.
Faced with the daunting challenge of going head-to-head with Millikin 6-foot-6, 300-pound freshman forward Jordan Cunningham, Ingebrigtsen asserted himself early on by scoring six points to ignite the explosive first-half scoring surge - including an aggressive inside basket to extend the lead to 14-6 with 15:08 remaining.
"Coming out of a four-game losing streak, it was great to be able to come back, protect our home court and get a victory," said Ingebrigsten, who showcased his versatility by converting a baseline 3-point basket from the far left corner of the perimeter to extend the lead to 52-39 with 6:13 left in the game. "After the loss to Elmhurst in the conference opener, we came out mad and ready to make it a statement game.
"I've had shoulder issues all season and am finally feeling good so it was exciting to be able to make a strong contribution again."
The Pioneers maintained a balanced attack throughout the day with nine players reaching the scoring column, including four in double figures.
Junior guard/forward Tanner Zaeske (South Milwaukee, Wis.) also contributed 13 points - including a team-leading three 3-pointers for Carroll, which made nine 3-pointers and 11 of 15 free throws.
Zaeske had eight points to help fuel the energized first-half run, including a key, momentum-building baseline 3-pointer to extend the lead to 5-2 with 18:27 left.
Sophomore guard Ben Widdes (Rice Lake, Wis.) followed with 11 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals for the Pioneers, who generated 24 points in the paint, forced 14 turnovers and had 13 assists.
Senior guard Kyle Keranen (Hartland, Wis.) chipped in 11 points and freshman guard Nick Penny (Lake Zurich, Ill.) added nine points.
Carroll fourth-year head coach Paul Combs was pleased with how his team took advantage of the opportunity to compete on Ted H. Baker Court following a difficult stretch of six road games and seized the early momentum.
"We came out and played as well defensively as we have all season," said Combs, whose team shot 50 percent from field-goal range. "It set the tone and ultimately fueled our offense throughout the course of the day. When we were up by 20, we became a little complacent in the second half but then responded by making some big shots down the stretch.
"I have tremendous respect for Millikin and the way they run their program so this was a big, confidence-building victory."
Millikin, which lost its third straight to drop to 0-4 in conference and 2-11 overall, trimmed the deficit to eight points on two free throws from freshman forward Logan Bader with 10:04 remaining but couldn't get any closer.
Cunningham scored a team-high 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Big Blue, who were successful on 12 of 17 free throws but made only one 3-pointer and shot 35 percent from the field.
Bader had 10 points and sophomore guard Jack Simpson added seven points.
PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University men's basketball team defeated Millkin University 66-49 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
Scoring Leaders: Tyler Ingebrigtsen (13 points), Tanner Zaeske (13 points), Kyle Keranen (11 points), Ben Widdes (11 points), Nick Penny (9 points)
Notable: The Pioneers, who outscored Millikin 36-16 in the first half, made nine 3-pointers, 11 of 15 free throws and shot 50 percent from field-goal range.
