WAUKESHA, Wis. -  Tanner Zaeske caught fire from the perimeter.
Zaeske, a 6-foot-3 senior forward from South Milwaukee, Wis., scored a team-high 14 points with four 3-point baskets to lead the Carroll University men's basketball team to an 82-51 victory over Milwaukee School of Engineering in a nonconference game at Van Male Field House on Tuesday night.
It was the second home-court victory of the season for Carroll, which snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 3-6 overall.
Carroll outscored the Raiders 31-20 in what proved to be a decisive first half, propelled by a momentum-building 19-6 run over the course of the opening nine minutes.
Zaeske scored six of his eight first-half points to help power the energized run, including a 3-pointer from the right baseline to extend the lead to 10-2 with 15:53 remaining.
"We came out with a lot of energy, continued to build off of the momentum and carried it through the entire way," said Zaeske, who also had six rebounds and two assists. "Having not played like myself at times this season, it was a great feeling to be able to step up, play with confidence and make some big shots from 3-point range early in the game.
"From beginning to end, everyone was excited, had fun and fed off of the adrenaline. It's something we haven't had for awhile so it was nice to see everything come together. Heading into our upcoming trip to Las Vegas, it was good to get our swagger back and finish with a confidence-boosting victory. Now we just want to keep it going."
The Pioneers showcased a balanced offensive attack throughout the contest with 15 players reaching the scoring column, including four in double figures.
Sophomore forward Charlie Soule (Oregon, Wis.) followed with 12 points, five rebounds and a steal for the steadily improving Pioneers, who converted 11 3-pointers and 9 of 17 free throws.
Soule had eight points in the first half - including a key inside basket to increase the lead to 14-6 with 14:01 left.
"We've been in a bit of a slump since Thanksgiving so this was a big turning point," said Soule, one of seven sophomores on the roster. "Throughout the night, we came together as a team, shared the ball well and did a nice job of executing the offense. I just tried to make hard cuts to the basket, take advantage of the passes inside and finish on the opportunities. When the shot wasn't there, we were able to consistently kick the ball back out to the perimeter for the wide-open 3-pointers. That ability to play under control was the difference  tonight.
"Coming off a tough game against Loras a few days ago and dealing with final-exam week, it was great to be able to show our mental toughness and maintain it the entire way. We just played well, had a lot of fun out there and came away with a great victory to get back on track. This should act as a huge confidence booster heading into the Christmas break, Vegas trip and next stretch of our season."
Junior guard Ray Pierce  (Milwaukee, Wis.) chipped in 11 points, a team-high seven rebounds and three assists for Carroll, which shot 53.4 percent from field-goal range and outrebounded the Raiders by a 36-30 margin - including a 28-23 advantage on the defensive glass.
Freshman guard Ryan Clarey (Pewaukee, Wis.) had 10 points.with two 3-pointers, junior forward Tyler Ingebrigtsen (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) had seven points and junior guard Troy Howat (Plainfield, Ill.) added two 3-pointers. 
"Coming into the game, we really stressed the importance of playing with pride in the program and bringing a lot of positive energy to the floor," Carroll fifth-year head coach Paul Combs said. "If a hustle-type play didn't go in our favor, we did a nice job of shaking it off, working through it and taking a next-play mentality. Defensively, we were back to our old ways, rebounded hard and competed the way we will need to in order to be successful in the CCIW.
"It was just a good breakout game after going through a rough time the last few weeks. The guys have continued to work hard and deserved a victory heading into the Christmas break. Now we just want to build off of the success and maintain that positive mindset as we prepare for our Vegas trip."
Sophomore guard Matthew Kirmse scored a team-high 14 points for MSOE, which dropped to 5-4 overall. Junior guard Jason Palesse had five points for the Raiders, who made 15 of 21 free throws and shot 34.7 percent from the field.

PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University men's basketball team defeated MSOE 82-51 in a nonconference game at Van Male Field House on Tuesday night.
Record: 3-6 overall
Scoring Leaders: Tanner Zaeske (14 points), Charlie Soule (12 points), Ray Pierce (11 points), Ryan Clarey (10 points), Tyler Ingebrigtsen (7 points), Troy Howat (6 points)
Rebound Leaders: Pierce (7), Zaeske (6), Soule (5), Joel Heesch (4)
Notable: Carroll outscored the Raiders 31-20 in what proved to be a decisive first half, propelled by a momentum-building 19-6 run over the course of the opening nine minutes.