WAUKESHA, Wis. -  Explosive.
That was a fitting way to describe the performance of the Carroll University men's basketball team as it defeated North Park University 85-58 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
The tenacious, relentless effort snapped a string of three consecutive conference losses for Carroll, which improved to 2-6 in the league standings and 6-11 overall following the high-octane, energized Alumni Day celebration.
It was a significant victory for the Pioneers, who generated their highest conference point total since Dec. 15, 2018 - a 90-83 road win over then No. 15-ranked Illinois Wesleyan.
Carroll, which converted 13 3-pointers, 8 of 13 free throws and shot 58.2 percent from field-goal range, outscored the Vikings 40-27 in the critical, momentum-shifting first half.
The decisive first half scoring surge was capped by an energized, tenacious 17-2 run over the course of a critical six-minute stretch - powered by four momentum-shifting baskets from 3-point range.
Senior guard Troy Howat (Plainfield, Ill.) who contributed a team-high 15 points with five baskets from 3-point range, converted two long-range shots from the top, left side of the perimeter to help fuel the crucial stretch.
"We really went at it hard in practice and that positive, aggressive competition really prepared us for this big victory today," said Howat, who made a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 14-10 with 13:38 remaining in the first half. "Throughout the day, my teammates did a nice job of getting the ball to spots where I'm comfortable and setting the screens to create open looks on the perimeter. I did the easy part and just shot the ball. After making the first one, I just tried to make the most of every opportunity and shot with confidence the rest of the way.
"Being Alumni Day, it was a great atmosphere and really helped elevate our game. It was good to see some of my former teammates again and to be able to compete not only for us but for all of the guys who ever put on a Carroll jersey."
The Pioneers showcased their depth and balance with 13 players reaching the scoring column, including four in double figures.
Junior guard Nick Penny (Lake Zurich, Ill.) and freshman forward Blake Williams (Lone Tree, Colo.) each contributed 14 points for Carroll, which generated 18 assists.
Penny - who made three 3-pointers, 5 of 5 free throws and had two steals - nailed two 3-pointers to spark an 8-0 run over the course of the opening four minutes of the second half.
Williams was an aggressive force throughout the day, providing a huge spark off the bench by converting on six field goals with two 3-pointers and finishing with a team-best seven rebounds, one assist and a steal in 21 minutes.
"It was great to be able to come out, play as a team and break out of the slump in a big way," said Williams, who demonstrated his sharp-shooting skills by making a 3-pointer from the right side of the perimeter during the key first-half run to extend the lead to 17-10 with 11:59 left. "Coach Combs has been pressing us to move the ball, swing it from side to side and work for the open looks. Today, we finally did that and everything worked out. The mindset was to basically play our style of game, push the ball once we came down with the rebound, out run them and finish. As that happened, we attempted to play hard defense, put a lot of pressure on the ball and kept them in check. It was a great outcome. I just tried to help the team by playing my game and contributing as much as possible. 
"With it being Alumni Day, it really added a little energy to the game because they've been through it before and we wanted to step up and put on a good show for them. Their effort built this program and now we're just doing our best to continue to build on that winning culture. This victory should serve as a good confidence builder and give us some momentum as we move forward."
Sophomore guard Ryan Clarey (Pewaukee, Wis.) added 12 points for Carroll, which outrebounded the Vikings 35-19 - maintaining a dominant 11-3 advantage on the offensive glass. Junior forward Kale Maupin (Peotone, Ill.) had six points, six rebounds and two assists. Sophomore guard Tarren Hall (New Lisbon, Wis.) collected six points with two 3-pointers and three assists.
Senior guard Joey Archer (West Allis, Wis.) chipped in four points, senior forwards Tyler Ingebrigtsen (Elk Grove, Ill.) and Anthony Marlowe (South Milwaukee, Wis.) each had three points with senior guard Ray Pierce (Milwaukee, Wis.),  junior guard/forward Charlie Soule (Oregon, Wis.), freshman guard/forward Dylan Ingebrigtsen (Elk Grove, Ill.) and freshman guard Tanner Hoffman (Scottsdale, Ariz.) each adding two points.
"It was a good time to be able to play our best overall team game of the season," said Carroll sixth-year head coach Paul Combs, whose team honored a large contingent of alumni (including Rob Bennett, Eric Thompson, James Hischke, Nick Lange, Andrew Rumler, Reid Spiering, Ben Fischer, Christian Shepley, Alec Molter, Bryan Nagy, Wes Ladwig, Terna Barki, Nathan Zimmerman, Lane Sieman, Mike Keane, Ted Ludolph, Tom Plechaty, Don Callendar, Dave Shaw, Dave Anschuetz, Tom Collopy, Scott Bliss, Steve Albinger, Sloan Allen, Jake Bast, Taylor Jannsen, John Hoch, Jon Jahnke, Kevin Huevelmans and Steve Kreklow) with the dominant effort on Ted H. Baker Court. "We had very good balance on the offensive end, shared the ball and finished with four guys in double figures. Also, we played one of our more complete games defensively. That in turn created opportunities in transition and we did a nice job of capitalizing on the situation.
"Alumni Day is always an extra-special experience so it was great to not only rise to the occasion and showcase our ability but then display the talent of some of our young up-and-coming players (specifically noting Williams' aggressive, high-energy effort). We made the most of every possession, played with energy from beginning to end and built a nice lead. When that happened, we maintained our focus, carried the momentum over into the second half and responded with a nice run in the opening four minutes to pull away.
"That ability to compete at a high level for a full 40 minutes played a big role in our success. Heading into the bye, this gives us a good chance to get some rest, recharge and come back strong for our next game against North Central. Today, we were not only playing for ourselves but for all of the alumni and friends in the stands. From start to finish, we wanted to play hard, give every bit of extra effort for them and do our best to represent Carroll University in the best possible way. It was just an exciting day and a pleasure to be a part of it."
Sophomore guard Toby Marek scored a team-high 12 points for North Park, which dropped to 2-5 in conference and 4-12 overall.

PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University men's basketball team defeated North Park University 85-58 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday.
Records: 2-6 in CCIW and 6-11 overall
Scoring Leaders: Troy Howat (15 points), Nick Penny (14 points), Blake Williams (14 points), Ryan Clarey (12 points)
Notable: Carroll, which converted 13 3-pointers, 8 of 13 free throws and shot 58.2 percent from field-goal range, outscored the Vikings 40-27 in the critical, momentum-shifting first half.
Alumni in attendance (ranging from 1970-2018): Rob Bennett, Eric Thompson, James Hischke, Nick Lange, Andrew Rumler, Reid Spiering, Ben Fischer, Christian Shepley, Alec Molter, Bryan Nagy, Wes Ladwig, Terna Barki, Nathan Zimmerman, Lane Sieman, Mike Keane, Ted Ludolph, Tom Plechaty, Don Callendar, Dave Shaw, Dave Anschuetz, Tom Collopy, Scott Bliss, Steve Albinger, Sloan Allen, Jake Bast, Taylor Jannsen, John Hoch, Jon Jahnke, Kevin Huevelmans and Steve Kreklow