WAUKESHA, Wis. - Tough, spirited matchups versus high-caliber competition can often serve as an effective measuring stick for a hungry team seeking to consistently play up to its potential. 
The steadily improving Carroll University men's basketball team was reminded of that fact as it lost to Washington University in St. Louis 71-69 during the opening round of the inaugural Nicholas Investments Thanksgiving Classic at Van Male Field House on Saturday night.
It was the second home-court loss to a high-powered NCAA Division III program for Carroll, which dropped to 2-2 overall.
Despite trailing 37-24 at the intermission, the Pioneers showcased their heart and determination by outscoring Washington 45-34 over the course of the final 20 minutes - capped on a desperation mid-court 3-point basket by senior guard Joey Archer (West Allis, Wis.) at the buzzer. 
It wasn't enough to complete a dramatic second-half comeback for the Pioneers, who gradually erased a seemingly insurmountable 15-point deficit but couldn't pull out a victory.
Junior guard Nick Penny (Lake Zurich, Ill.) contributed a team-high 15 points, including 8 of 8 free throws, five rebounds and three assists to lead Carroll, which made seven baskets from 3-point range, 14 of 16 free throws and shot 57.1 percent from field-goal range.
Penny trimmed the deficit to three points twice within the final seven minutes, first converting three consecutive free throws to cut the lead to 55-52 with 6:30 remaining. He  then later made a layup and free throw to complete a three-point play and cut the lead to 69-66 with 18.1 seconds left.
Senior forward Tyler Ingebrigtsen (Elk Grove, Ill.) followed by contributing 11 of his 13 total points in the second half. 
Ingebrigtsen scored nine points within the first 11 minutes, including a bank shot off the glass to trim the deficit to 53-43 with 9:20 left.
"It was bittersweet because we know what we're capable of but only managed to play at a high level during the second half," said Ingebrigtsen, who was faced with the tall order of going head-to-head with Washington's towering duo of 6-foot-9 senior center Marcus Meyer and and 6-8 junior center Hank Hunter throughout the day. "When guys come off the bench, step it up and provide a spark (referring specifically to the valuable effort of junior guard/forward Charlie Soule (Oregon, Wis.), it really energizes everyone and creates a lot of enthusiasm. That ended up translating into a lot of success on some key possessions and helped to fuel the comeback. Even though it didn't work out in our favor, we have high hopes heading into conference play and just need to make a point to play for 40 minutes from here on out."
Soule - who contributed all eight of his points in the second half and finished with five rebounds, two assists and two steals - was a force by scoring six straight points over a momentum-building one-minute span.
Soule's critical run was capped on a hard-driving hook shot from the middle of the lane to cut the lead to 55-49 with 7:03 remaining.
Senior guard Troy Howat (Plainfield, Ill.) had eight points while Archer, junior forward Kale Maupin (Peotone, Ill.) and sophomore guard Tarren Hall (New Lisbon, Wis.) each added six points.
"Washington was simply better from the tip-off, executed well and deserved the victory," said Carroll sixth-year head coach Paul Combs, who noted his team's aggressive effort on the boards as being a bright spot (The Pios were outrebounded by a slim 27-26 margin). "We gave them too much of a lead in the first half and had to fight hard to get back in it the rest of the way. When we managed to get close, their guards stepped up and made some big plays down the stretch to regain the momentum and put the game away.
"I admire our heart and grit each time we step on the floor. That said, I just don't think we did it for an entire 40 minutes tonight. We just need to learn from the experience and do our best to bounce back tomorrow."
Sophomore guard Jack Nolan  scored a game-high 20 points with three 3-pointers to lead Washington, which improved to 2-2 overall. Junior guard Matt Nester had 16 points with four 3-pointers for the Bears, who made eight 3-pointers, 9 of 13 free throws and shot 55.1 percent from the field.

PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University men's basketball team lost to Washington University in St. Louis 71-69 in the opening round of the inaugural Nicholas Investments Thanksgiving Classic at Van Male Field House on Saturday night.
Scoring Leaders: Nick Penny (15 points), Tyler Ingebrigtsen (13 points), Charlie Soule (8 points), Troy Howat (8 points), Joey Archer (6 points), Kale Maupin (6 points), Tarren Hall (6 points)
Notable: Despite trailing 37-24 at intermission, the Pioneers showcased their heart and determination by outscoring Washington 45-34 over the course of the final 20 minutes.