NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Carroll University men's basketball team shot 44.0% from three to push them over Simpson College by a score of 70-62 on the first day of the Music City Classic. Josh Hudgens and Justin Gruber shot a combined 7-11 from the three-point line to combine for 25 points. Gruber also pulled in six rebounds to go with three assists.
 
The Pioneers (4-8, 0-4 CCIW) scored 40 second-half points powered by 7-13 3PT shooting, and 12-24 total field goals made. The Pioneers scored 13 points off 22 Red Hawk turnovers and collected 11 steals. Carroll's bench, led by Hudgens and Trenton Nickel (10 PTS, 5-7 FT), scored 36 of the team's 70 points compared to just 13 from Simpson.
 
The Pioneers were outpaced early on, down 5-10 after five minutes into the contest. Carroll jumped into an 8-0 run over the next six minutes led by three buckets and free throws from Carter Sturgeon (5 PTS). Carroll and Simpson went back-and-forth before a 9-0 run capped off by a Hudgens three ended the half. The Pios went into the break up seven.
 
Gruber made two threes at the start of the second half to give Carroll a lead of 11 points. The Red Hawks climbed back into the game as Carroll went scoreless for three minutes. A jumper from Ethan Balinao (4 PTS) broke the Carroll drought and gave Carroll a three-point advantage with 9:53 remaining in the game. Carroll started to pull away on a 16-4 run in four minutes to take a 13 point lead with 3:44 remaining. The Red Hawks weren't going away and took advantage of Carroll's foul trouble, cutting the game back to six. Carroll finished the remaining 1:48 of the game shooting 7-9 from the free-throw line and coming away with two huge steals to put away Simpson.
 
Carroll will play again in Nashville tomorrow at 11 AM against Nazareth College.