DECATUR, Ill. - Senior guard/forward Joel Heesch (Mauston, Wis.) had a team-high 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals but the Carroll University men's basketball team lost to Millikin University 57-54 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at the Griswold Center on Saturday night.
It was the second straight conference loss for Carroll, which dropped to 0-2 in the highly contested league standings and 2-4 overall.
Trailing 25-19 at the intermission, the Pioneers answered by outscoring Millikin 35-32 over the course of the final 20 minutes.
Despite a valiant, energized comeback by Carroll to trim the deficit to 52-50 with 1:58 remaining, the Big Blue made 5 of 8 free throws down the stretch to put the game away.
Senior guard Tanner Zaeske (South Milwaukee, Wis.) contributed 10 points with two 3-point baskets for the Pioneers, who made 10 of 16 free throws and four 3-pointers. Freshman guard Ryan Clarey (Pewaukee, Wis.) had seven points with junior forward Tyler Ingebrigtsen (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) and junior guard/forward Anthony Marlowe (South Milwaukee, Wis.) each adding six points.
Sophomore guard Zach Fisher scored a game-high 19 points with three 3-pointers for Millikin, which improved to 1-2 in conference and 5-3 overall.