CHICAGO, Ill. - Carroll men's basketball went toe-to-toe with North Park in a high-scoring CCIW matchup Wednesday night, falling 84–82 in a game that featured 13 ties, six lead changes, and long stretches of back-and-forth scoring.
The Pioneers opened the night strong, building an early 16–5 lead behind an aggressive defensive start and transition scoring. Carroll pushed its advantage to as many as 11 midway through the first half, fueled by the hot shooting of Michael McNabb and Lamar Smith. But North Park responded with a run of its own, eventually evening the game at 41–41 heading into halftime.
Both teams shot exceptionally well, and the second half continued the trend. North Park surged ahead by as many as 14 with 10:09 remaining, capitalizing on efficient perimeter shooting and defensive pressure. Carroll, however, refused to go away. A flurry of late baskets from McNabb and Smith, along with a fast-break three from Peyton McKenna, brought the Pios back within one possession down the stretch.
Trailing 82–81 with under 20 seconds left, Carroll converted a key layup, but North Park hit timely free throws to extend the margin. Smith's basket with seven seconds remaining cut the deficit to two, yet the Pioneers were unable to secure a final look as the hosts escaped with the narrow victory.
McNabb led all scorers with 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including four made threes. Smith added 21 points, scoring effectively in the paint and in transition. McKenna chipped in 11 points, while Jacob Naber and Evan Bland provided strong support with seven and five points, respectively.
Carroll shot 48% from the field and 10-for-26 from deep, generating 46 points in the paint, 18 fast-break points, and 23 points off turnovers. North Park countered with an impressive 64% shooting performance and 12 made threes.
With the loss, Carroll moves to 8–11 overall and 3–7 in the CCIW. The Pioneers return home for their next contest on Saturday against Wheaton as they look to bounce back and continue their push through conference play. Tip is scheduled for 4:15 pm.
