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Carroll University Athletics

Scoreboard

Scoreboard

Celebration
Kylie Bridenhagen
70
Simpson SIM 4-2,0-0 American
71
Winner Carroll CARROLL 5-0,0-0 CCIW
Simpson SIM
4-2,0-0 American
70
Final
71
Carroll CARROLL
5-0,0-0 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Simpson SIM 32 38 70
Carroll CARROLL 30 41 71

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | By Jeff Hagenau

Pios deliver Soule-ful performance to earn thrilling first-round tournament victory

Carroll defeats Simpson College 71-70 in opening round of Nicholas Investments Pre-Thanksgiving Classic

WAUKESHA, Wis. -  Charlie Soule's relentless effort set the tone.
Soule, a 6-foot-2 senior forward from Oregon, Wis., contributed a season-high 24 points, including 6 of 6 free throws, five rebounds, three steals, two assists and a blocked shot as the Carroll University men's basketball team outlasted Simpson College 71-70 in the first round of its own four-team Nicholas Investments Pre-Thanksgiving Classic at Van Male Field House on Friday night.
It was the fifth consecutive nonconference victory of the early season for Carroll, which remained undefeated with a 5-0 record and advanced to face No. 14-ranked Wabash College in the tournament championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Wabash, 2-1 overall, defeated Greenville University 137-131 in the other opening-round contest, establishing single-game school records for points and field goals in the process.
The emotional, hard-fought victory took on added significance as it marked the first time the Pioneers' have won their first five games since the start of the 2015-16 season.
Carroll led 71-69 with 1.2 seconds remaining in the contest but it was trimmed down to a one-point advantage as Simpson 6-foot-9 senior forward Adam Reiter was fouled and made the first of two free-throws.
Following a critical time-out taken by the Pioneers, Reiter attempted to block out the loud, enthusiastic crowd but missed the pressure-packed second shot to ultimately end the game and moments later set off a jubilant on-court celebration.
It was a stunning conclusion to a wild, fast-paced contest for Carroll, which trailed 32-30 at the intermission but showcased its mental toughness, athleticism and focus by outscoring the Storm 40-38 in the second half - including a crucial, tension-filled 6-5 run over the course of the final two minutes.
The momentum-shifting run included a steal and aggressive putback by sophomore guard/forward Blake Williams to regain a 67-65 lead with 2:09 remaining, two free throws by Soule and what proved to be a hard-driving game-winning layup by Soule off an assist from senior forward Kale Maupin with 55.4 seconds left.
On the winning play, Maupin took possession toward the top of the key, quickly dribbled toward the right past a defender and fired a pass to a slashing Soule - who took control of the ball on the right baseline and finished with a strong reverse layup.
"It was a huge win," said Soule, who had 14 second-half points while filling a tall order by aggressively working inside against Reiter and 6-foot-4 senior forward Kyle Wagner. "With four seniors in the starting lineup, we've played a lot of games so I'm happy with the way we stayed together until the very end. We just had good leadership throughout, scouted them hard all week and came in prepared for the challenge.
"There was a mismatch with their two taller players so I just tried to play under control, make hard cuts to the basket and take advantage of the jump stop to create opportunities with my body. As that happened, I was able to make the most of the situation by either finishing or drawing a foul and hitting the free throws. We work on executing during four-minute segments in practice and it prepared us for the final stretch of the game tonight. Each possession had such a high value and with the game on the line we moved the ball, used the clock and worked for the best shot. That's when we backed it up by playing aggressively on the defensive end. It was a tough, physical game so we're happy to come away with the victory."
Maupin followed with 13 points with two critical 3-point baskets, three rebounds, two assists and a steal for Carroll, which converted five 3-pointers, 12 of 14 free throws and shot 51.9 percent from field-goal range.
"We battled the whole game," said Maupin, who delivered a warrior-type effort by working through nagging foul trouble and responding with back-to-back momentum-shifting 3-point baskets as the Pioneers extended the lead to 58-54 with 5:04 left. "It kept going back-and-forth but once we seized the lead, we never gave it up. It was a real testament to the entire team and showcased our determination and courage.
"As a team, we just stayed together and persevered. Offensively and defensively, every possession mattered so we did our best to make the most of each one. There was no time to relax and every second counted. That's what playing championship basketball is all about. That's what we did tonight."
Senior guard Nick Penny chipped in 11 points with three 3-pointers, five rebounds and an assist. Junior guard Ryan Clarey had nine points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and a steal for the Pioneers, who forced 15 turnovers. Williams added eight points.
"It was truly a CCIW-style game," said Carroll seventh-year head coach Paul Combs, who celebrated his 300th career victory as the Pioneers defeated Illinois College in the championship game of the Bill Merris Tip-Off Tournament last weekend. "Simpson had four seniors and a junior, was well coached and had as good of a big man as we'll see all season. It was the ultimate back-and-forth battle where one team would throw a roundhouse punch and have the other on its heels. Then the seniors would step up on the next few possessions, make plays to close the gap and turn it into a close game again. It was unfortunate to see the game end that way because he's a great player so we're happy to come away with a victory and the chance to play the No. 14-ranked team in the nation tomorrow. With the quick turnaround, neither team wanted it to go into overtime.
"Looking back on the game, you really have to tip your hat to them in the way they came into a hostile environment and gave us everything we could handle. I'm just really proud of our guys because there were several points during the second half where we were down but persevered and kept grinding. What can you say about a kid like Charlie Soule? He has been Mr. Consistency and gets every ounce of effort out of his body. When you think of a Division III student athlete who makes the most of his GOD-given abilities and does it at both ends of the floor, he instantly comes to mind. After getting into foul trouble, we played a little smaller than normal but continued to make plays, rose to the occasion and stayed energized down the stretch."
Senior guard Conor Riordan scored a team-high 21 points with 6 of 6 free throws for Simpson, which dropped to 4-2 overall. Reiter - who made 5 of 6 free throws within the final two minutes to score all of his team's points - registered a double-double by finishing with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Stay up to date on Carroll men's basketball this season by going online to www.gopios.com, or by following the Pioneers on Facebook (Carroll University Athletics), Twitter (@pio_athletics), and Instagram (@pio_athletics).
 
PIONEER FAST FACTS
What: The Carroll University men's basketball team defeated Simpson College 71-70 in the first round of of its own Nicholas Investments Pre-Thanksgiving Classic at Van Male Field House on Friday night.
Record: 5-0 overall
Up Next: The Pioneers advanced to meet No. 14-ranked Wabash College in the tournament championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday; Simpson is scheduled to face Greenville University in the third-place game at 2 p.m.
Scoring Leaders: Charlie Soule (24 points), Kale Maupin (13 points), Nick Penny (11 points), Ryan Clarey (9 points), Blake Williams (8 points), David Anilus (4 points), Tarren Hall (2 points)
Rebound Leaders: Soule (5), Penny (5), Clarey (4), Maupin (3), Williams (2), Anilus (2)
Notable: Carroll trailed 32-30 at the intermission but showcased its mental toughness, athleticism and focus by outscoring the Storm 40-38 in the second half - including a crucial, tension-filled 6-5 run over the course of the final two minutes.

 
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