Decatur, Ill. – The Carroll University men's basketball team hit seven three-pointers in the second half to uplift them over the Millikin University Big Blue on Tuesday night, by a score of 66-60. Tarren Hall (21 PTS, 7 AST, 6 REB) and Justin Gruber (Career-high 18 PTS, 5 REB) combined for 39 of the Pioneers 66 points. Hall's 7 assists led the team and set a career-high for him.
 
The Pioneers (5-7, 5-7 CCIW) concluded its regular season, and is a six seed in the CCIW Men's Basketball Tournament, starting Saturday, March 6. In tonight's game, the men shot 45.5% from behind the three-point line, including 53.8% in the 45-point second half. The Pios also took advantage of the opportunities at the free-throw line, making 12 of 15. The men outrebounded the Big Blue 31-28, with help from Hall, Gruber, and Justin Steinike (9 PTS, 5 REB).  
 
A new group of starters kicked things off to start the game 4-0, Millikin responded with an 18-2 run that span over seven minutes. The Pios were only able to create five shots in over that gap, turning the ball over five times. Hall ended the drought with a three-pointer with 9:18 remaining in the first half. Hall's three sparked a Carroll 12-2 run, capped off by Carter Sturgeon (7 PTS, 2 REB) free-throws. The big blue worked their lead to 8, going into halftime with a 21-29 lead.
 
Millikin kept an eight-point lead to start the half before Steinike knocked down the first three-pointer of the second half. Down seven with 12:37 remaining, Gruber added in a layup and a three-ball to cut into the lead. Tarren Hall cashed in a three to take a one-point lead with 10:01 remaining. Hall's three started a 16-7 Pio run over the next five minutes that extended the Pioneers' lead to seven. Gruber added half of the Carroll points during that stretch. Millikin cut the lead to five off a free-throw to force a time out. Hall and Gruber scored the final eight points shooting 6-8 at the free-throw line to ice the game with a few ticks left on the clock.
 
The Pioneers will travel to Elmhurst University on Saturday night to face the Bluejays in the CCIW Men's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals. The Pios split with the Bluejays this season,  with each team claiming a road win.