WAUKESHA, Wis. - Carroll men's basketball hosted the #4-ranked Washington University-St. Louis on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Bears by a score of 81-66.
Carroll (2-3, 0-0 CCIW) shot just over 43% from the field, including just under 29% from three-point land. WashU (4-0, 0-0 UAA) finished the game with a very efficient 63% field goal percentage, including nearly 46% from beyond the arc in a high level showing. The Bears scored 48 points in the paint to Carroll's 34. The game's leading scorer was Bear senior guard Hayden Doyle, who scored 25 points in 35 minutes of play. The Brookfield, Wis. native was selected as member of d3hoops.com preseason all-America Third Team.
Three Pioneers scored in double figures on the afternoon. Junior guard Evan Bland led the Pioneers in scoring, tallying 14 points off the bench. Eckahelo Simpson recorded a 13-point, five-rebound night while Erik Victorson contributed 12 points including two three-pointers.
Carroll came out with a focused and aggressive mentality, going basket-for basket with the Bears and holding a two-point lead just under seven minutes into the game. A 23-9 over the next eight minutes and change gave WashU a 12-point advantage, which would wane between nine and eleven points throughout the remainder of the period. WashU sank a basket at the buzzer to give the Bears a 46-35 edge at the break.
WashU built the lead to 20 over the first five minutes of the second half. Just when the game looked to be getting out of reach, a quick 14-7 response from the Pioneers brought the game within striking distance. WashU took the punch and delivered a blow of their own, bringing the lead back to 19 with six minutes to play. Carroll battled back late, thanks to an 8-0 run spanning five minutes. Carroll was unable to get a few open looks to fall to cut into the deficit further, as WashU closed the game out by a score of 81-66.
Carroll returns to action with another home game against MSOE on Tuesday, November 26 to take the team into Thanksgiving Break. The Pioneers will look to avenge last season's loss to the Raiders, which was a final score of 71-63. Tip-off will be at 7 p.m. inside Van Male Fieldhouse.
