LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Junior guard Troy Howat (Plainfield, Ill.) scored an individual season-high 16 points with four 3-point baskets as the Carroll University men's basketball team lost to Augsburg College 74-69 in  the first round of the eighth annual D3hoops.com Classic at South Point Arena on Thursday afternoon.
It was the fifth early-season nonconference loss for Carroll, which dropped to 3-7 overall.
Howat, who played a team-high 25 minutes in the spirited contest, nailed his fourth 3-pointer to tie the game 65-65 with 2:04 remaining but the Pioneers couldn't get any closer.
Carroll yielded what proved to be a decisive 9-4 run over the course of the final two minutes - including a momentum-shifting 3-pointer, a layup and four free throws.
Junior guard Ray Pierce (Milwaukee, Wis.) followed with 15 points and senior forward Tanner Zaeske (South Milwaukee, Wis.) had 10 points, four rebounds and a steal for Carroll, which made seven 3-pointers, 14 of 24 free throws and shot 42.9 percent from field-goal range.
Sophomore guard/forward Charlie Soule (Oregon, Wis.) and sophomore forward Kale Maupin (Peotone, Ill.) each chipped in eight points. Senior guard/forward Joel Heesch (Mauston, Ill.) added a team-high seven rebounds.
Sophomore 6-foot-4 guard Booker Coplin scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to register a double-double for Augsburg, which improved to 7-2 overall. Junior guard Kevin McKiernan had 10 points for the Auggies, who made six 3-pointers, 22 of 34  free throws and shot 44.2 percent from the field.
The highly contested matchup was tied at nine different times and featured three lead changes.