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Carroll University Athletics

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Scoreboard

Soule 2
Kylie Bridenhagen
71
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 11-5,5-2 CCIW
67
Carroll (WI) CARROLL 9-7,2-5 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
11-5,5-2 CCIW
71
Final
67
Carroll (WI) CARROLL
9-7,2-5 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 40 31 71
Carroll (WI) CARROLL 36 31 67

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

Pios struggle to finish in loss to CCIW rival Illinois Wesleyan

Soule, Penny each score in double figures to lead Carroll in home-court battle

WAUKESHA, Wis. - Senior forward Charlie Soule finished with a game-high 20 points, including 7 of 9 free throws and a 3-point basket, seven rebounds, two steals and one assist in playing 33 minutes as the Carroll University men's basketball team lost to Illinois Wesleyan 71-67 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
It was the fourth consecutive conference loss for Carroll, which dropped to 2-5 in the highly contested league standings and 9-7 overall.
The Pioneers led 43-40 after the opening four minutes of the second half but yielded what became a critical, momentum-shifting 16-6 run over a seven-minute stretch.
Carroll trimmed the deficit to 56-52 on a 3-point basket from the top of the key by senior forward Kale Maupin with 9:09 remaining.
The Pioneers cut the lead to four points a final time with 0.3 seconds left (as the result of gritty back-to-back layups from junior point guard Ryan Clarey and Soule) but couldn't get any closer.
The uptempo back-and-forth showdown between evenly matched programs featured six ties and 10 lead changes.
"It was a good game against a team that historically always plays well," said Soule, who has scored 20 or more points three times this season including a high of 24 points in a victory over Simpson College on Nov. 22. "We practiced hard throughout the week and came in well prepared for the match-up. There's just been a common theme as of late where we're in every game but struggle to close in the final five minutes. Down the stretch, they came away with some big offensive rebounds to create more scoring opportunities. When we tried to answer, we committed a few turnovers and it killed the momentum. We just have to make plays and continue to execute freely during the pressure situations. If we do that, we will have success over the course of our final nine games.
"From beginning to end, there wasn't any let down and we fought hard until the final buzzer. It's what makes this team special. Hopefully, we can put it all together in the weeks to come."
Senior guard Nick Penny contributed 19 points with four 3-pointers, three assists and two rebounds for Carroll, which converted nine baskets from 3-point range, 12 of 17 free throws and shot 42.6 percent from field-goal range. Senior guard David Anilus chipped in eight points, one assist and one steal with Maupin adding six points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal.
The Pioneers, who committed an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers in the contest, were outrebounded 32-26 - including a key 11-8 margin on the offensive glass.
"Illinois Wesleyan came out with a lot of energy and jumped out to an early lead but we showcased our resilience in the way we battled back," said Carroll seventh-year head coach Paul Combs, whose team erased an early 7-0 deficit and trailed 40-36 at the intermission following a hard-fought, confidence-building first half. "We were right there and simply didn't make enough big plays to finish the job this time. With it being the CCIW, every team is going to give it their best shot. Each team that has stepped into Van Male Field House this season has played as hard as possible, elevated their game and matched our intensity. That said, it all comes down to execution and today they were sharper than we were on both ends of the floor. To their credit, they came in, made plays and showed why they are always one of the top programs in the conference.
"We will always fight, grind and play hard until the final buzzer regardless of the outcome. Once again, it's a big-boy league and we have to come ready to play every night. There's not an easy game on the schedule so now have to regroup and get back to playing Pioneer basketball."
Junior guard/forward Doug Wallen and sophomore guard Peter Lambesis each scored 16 points to lead Illinois Wesleyan, which won its second straight to improve to 5-2 in conference and 11-5 overall. Freshman guard Luke Yoder followed with 11 points while junior forward Charlie Baird registered a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Titans, who made five 3-pointers, 16 of 22 free throws and shot 46.3 percent from the field.
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 lost to Illinois Wesleyan 71-67 in a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin game at Van Male Field House on Saturday afternoon.
Records: 2-5 in CCIW and 9-7 overall
Scoring Leaders: Charlie Soule (20 points), Nick Penny (19 points), David Anilus (8 points), Kale Maupin (6 points)
Rebound Leaders: Soule (7), Ryan Clarey (4), Tarren Hall (4), Maupin (3), Penny (2), Anilus (2), Blake Williams (2)
Notable: The Pioneers led 43-40 after the opening four minutes of the second half but yielded what became a critical. momentum-shifting 16-6 run over a seven-minute stretch.

 
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