WAUKESHA, Wis. - Nick Penny caught fire on the perimeter.
Penny, a 6-foot-2 sophomore guard from Lake Zurich, Ill., scored a game-high 16 points with four 3-point baskets to lead the Carroll University men's basketball team to a 90-60 victory over Elmhurst College in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin showdown at Van Male Field House on Wednesday night.
It was the second consecutive conference victory for Carroll, which improved to 3-7 in the league standings and 7-12 overall.
The Pioneers, who have won three of their last four, reached the 90-point mark for the second time this season.
Carroll outscored the Bluejays 53-32 in the first half, ignited by what proved to be a decisive 26-7 run over the course of the final seven minutes.
Penny powered the explosive scoring surge by converting all four of his 3-pointers - including back-to-back long-range shots to extend the lead to 38-27 with 5:54 remaining.
"After losing to them three times over the course of the last two seasons, we wanted to come out strong on our home court, play tough every step of the way and not get pushed around," said Penny, who scored all of his points in the first half. "Since they're a big, physical team, we really made a point to box out tough, fight for position and not give up an inch.
"Joel (Heesch), (Anthony) Marlowe and the rest of the guys did a great job of distributing the ball so it was nice to be able to step up, make the most of the opportunities on the perimeter and finish by hitting the open 3s. After hitting the first one, it acted as a good confidence builder and fortunately the shots continued to fall after that. You learn pretty quickly if it's going to be your night and this time everything worked out in my favor. We have a lot of good shooters who can get hot at any time so it was great to be able to contribute to a big victory. Tonight, we just played up to our potential and came away with a big victory. Now we just want to keep it going."
The Pioneers, who shot 72.4 percent from the field in the first half, showcased their talent, depth and athleticism with 12 players reaching the scoring column - including five in double figures.
Senior guard/forward Tanner Zaeske (South Milwaukee, Wis.) contributed 13 points with three 3-pointers for Carroll, which converted 10 3-pointers, 18 of 22 free throws and shot 67.4 percent from field-goal range. Junior forward Tyler Ingebrigtsen (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) and sophomore guard/forward Charlie Soule (Oregon, Wis.) each followed with 12 points.
Junior guard Troy Howat (Plainfield, Ill.) had 10 points and senior guard/forward Joel Heesch added nine points for the Pioneers, who maintained a 29-23 rebound advantage - including a 22-10 margin on the defensive glass. Junior guard Ray Pierce (Milwaukee, Wis.), who made a triumphant return to the lineup after suffering a torn meniscus knee injury earlier in the season, added five points to provide a critical spark coming off the bench.
"It was a complete team effort on both ends of the floor," said Carroll fifth-year head coach Paul Combs, whose determined squad helped erase the stinging memory of last year's 73-70 season-ending loss to Elmhurst that prevented the Pioneers from advancing to the CCIW Tournament. "We shared the ball, consistently made the extra pass, remained shot ready and managed to get into a great rhythm as the game progressed.
"Normally, our defense has worked to energize the offense but tonight the opposite was true. Our shooting really set the tone and eventually led into playing sound, fundamental defense. We simply battled for an entire 40 minutes and came away with a great victory." 
Freshman guard Jake Rhode scored a team-high 11 points for Elmhurst, which lost its third straight to drop to 4-7 in conference and 11-9 overall. Sophomore guard Ryan Patton had nine points with three 3-pointers for the Bluejays, who made eight 3-pointers, 10 of 15 free throws and shot 39.6 percent from the field.

PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University men's basketball team defeated Elmhurst College 90-60 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin showdown at Van Male Field House on Wednesday night.
Record: 3-7 in conference and 7-12 overall
Scoring Leaders: Nick Penny (16 points), Tanner Zaeske (13 points), Tyler Ingebrigtsen (12 points), Charlie Soule (12 points), Troy Howat (10 points), Joel Heesch (9 points)
Notable: Carroll outscored the Bluejays 53-32 in the first half, ignited by what proved to be a decisive 26-7 run over the course of the final seven minutes.