WAUKESHA, Wis. — The Carroll men's basketball team used a dominant second half to pull away from North Central and secure a 74–54 victory Tuesday night at the Van Male Fieldhouse.

North Central held a slim 29–26 lead at halftime, but Carroll quickly flipped the momentum coming out of the break. The Pioneers opened the second half with a decisive run, outscoring the Cardinals 48–25 over the final 20 minutes to turn a close game into a comfortable conference win.

Carroll shot 53.3 percent from the field in the second half and knocked down six three-pointers, while also capitalizing on turnovers to generate transition offense. The defensive pressure forced North Central into 14 turnovers, leading to 20 Carroll points.

Peyton McKenna led all scorers with 15 points, including three three-pointers, while Lamar Smith added 16 points and nine rebounds. Michael McNabb finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, and Dennis Estepp chipped in eight points off the bench.

The Pioneers held a 46–38 advantage on the glass and finished with 18 fast-break points, helping stretch the lead to as many as 27 late in the second half.

With the win, Carroll improved to 11–11 overall and 6–7 in CCIW play. Their next matchup comes this Saturday as they travel to Millikin to take on the Big Blue with tip scheduled for 4:15pm.