WAUKESHA, Wis. – The Carroll University men's basketball team opened the 2021 Carroll Pre-Thanksgiving Classic with a convincing win over Crown by a score of 76-59. Ryan Mendoza led the Pioneer offense with 15 points off the bench to go along with four steals. Ethan Balinao pulled in a team-high five rebounds and dished out seven assists.
 
The Pioneers (3-2, 0-0 CCIW) shot 52.6% from the floor (30-57) and 52.9% from three (9-17) to finish with the best shooting night through their first five games. Carroll still managed to outscore the Storm by 10 points in the pain, and the strong bench attack gave Carroll 37 additional points. Carroll never trailed in this one, leading for 39:01 minutes. The Pios picked 12 steals on 20 Crown turnovers.
 
Paradiso Dante (8 PTS, 3-4 FGM) started the night with two free throws made in Carroll's first possession. The Pioneers jumped out to a 16-6 lead with 13:17 remaining in the first half thanks to a second-chance three by Justin Gruber (7 PTS) assisted by Eckahelo Simpson's offensive rebound. Back-to-back baskets by Tyler Miller (12 PTS, 4 REB) pushed the lead to 17, and a free throw from Mendoza gave Carroll an 18-point lead going into halftime.
 
Crown pushed the pace in the second half, starting the period on a 12-5 run, but that was silenced by a Justin Steinike (12 PTS) layup in the paint. Carroll came back and brought the lead to 20 with 10:21 remaining off a turn-around jumper in the paint off the hands of Josh Hudgens (4 PTS). Carroll had a 19-point lead with 2:15 remaining as coach Paul Combs emptied his bench, signaling a Pioneers victory.
 
The men's basketball team will play again tomorrow on day two of the Pre-Thanksgiving Classic, matching up with Bethany Lutheran, who fell in game one of the day, 86-102 to LeTourneau.