NAPERVILLE, Ill. -
Joel Heesch didn't mind working a little overtime to get the job done.
Heesch, a 6-foot-2 senior guard/forward from Mauston, Wis., scored what became the go-ahead game-winning basket on a hard-driving layup with 13 seconds remaining in the five-minute extra period as the Carroll University men's basketball team defeated fourth-place North Central College 77-73 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin showdown at Gregory Arena on Wednesday night.
It was a confidence-building, late-season road victory for the steadily improving Pioneers, who remained in sole possession of sixth place in the highly contested conference standings with a 6-8 record and improved to 10-13 overall.
Heesch contributed four of his 13 total points in overtime and generated a team-best five assists for Carroll, which made nine 3-point baskets, 14 of 27 free throws and shot 46.6 percent from field-goal range.
Senior guard/forward
Tanner Zaeske (South Milwaukee, Wis.) had a team-high 16 points with three baskets from 3-point range, six rebounds and an assist for the Pioneers, who overcame a 21-point second-half deficit over the course of the final 17 minutes of regulation - capped on a dramatic, pressure-packed 3-pointer by sophomore forward
Kale Maupin (Peotone, Ill.) to tie the contest 69-69 with eight seconds left and ultimately force overtime.
Carroll outscored North Central 8-4 in overtime.
Junior guard
Troy Howat (Plainfield, Ill.) had 14 points with four 3-pointers for Carroll, which scored 32 points in the paint and had 13 assists. Maupin chipped in 10 points with two 3-pointers, freshman forward
Alec Hamilton (Hartland, Wis.) collected six points and sophomore guard
Nick Penny (Lake Zurich, Ill.) had five points. Junior guard/forward
Anthony Marlowe (South Milwaukee, Wis.) and sophomore guard/forward
Charlie Soule (Oregon, Wis.) each added four points.
Illinois Wesleyan (11-3), Augustana (10-4), Wheaton (10-4) and North Central (9-5) have clinched the top four spots in the upcoming CCIW Tournament.
Carroll, which has won five of its last six conference games, is scheduled to finish the season with back-to-back home games against Millikin on Feb. 17 and Wheaton on Feb. 20.
