Waukesha, Wis., Nov. 25, 2018 – Sophomore guard Jack Nolan and junior guard Matt Nester each had career nights and earned all-tournament team honors to lead the Washington University in St. Louis men's basketball team to an 89-70 win over Carthage College Sunday in the Nicholas Investments Thanksgiving Classic in Waukesha, Wis.

WashU won its second-consecutive game to improve to 3-2, while Carthage had its three-game win streak snapped and dropped to 3-2.

Nolan was 10-of-16 (4-of-8 three) from the field to finish with 24 points and was named classic MVP. He averaged 22 points during the two games. Nester was 8-of-10 (4-of-5 three) from the field for 20 points, and averaged 18 points per game in the classic.

Freshman forward Justin Hardy added 20 points while junior forward DeVaughn Rucker was efficient off the bench with 11 points and a career-high eight rebounds. WashU shot 54.7 percent (35-64) from the field, and hit a season-high 13-of-26 from three. 

Carthage took the early 20-14 lead behind three triples from Preston Laketa, but WashU answered with back-to-back threes from Nolan and Hardy to take the 26-25 lead. Nolan's three ignited a 10-2 run as the Bears built a 30-25 advantage and forced a Carthage timeout.

Nolan hit a step-back three to make it 35-29, and then Rucker and freshman guard Charlie Jacob canned corners threes to make it 41-31.

WashU took a 47-37 lead to halftime after Nester drilled a corner three-pointer at the buzzer. Nolan had 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while Hardy and Nester added eight points each. The Bears shot 54.3 percent (19-35) from the field, including 8-of-15 from three. 

The Bears broke open the game with an 11-2 run to take a 62-43 lead with 13:02 left, highlighted by a corner three-pointer by junior guard Louis Reinmiller. WashU took its largest lead at 79-53 with 7:14 left following a three and a lay-up from Hardy.

Laketa (18 points), Sean Johnson (18) and Keinan Baltimore (17) all scored in double figures for Carthage, who shot 45.8 percent (27-59) and hit just 7-of-22 from three. 

WashU hosts the 35th Annual Lopata Classic on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1, at the WU Field House. The Bears take on Pomona-Pitzer Friday at 7 p.m., and then either Alma or No. 10 Wisconsin-Platteville Saturday at 5 or 7 p.m.

BEAR NOTEBOOK
• WashU has won two of three all-time meetings with Carthage
• The Bears have outrebounded all five opponents this season
• Nolan is second in the UAA in scoring (20.5 ppg) and went over 400 points in his career