WAUKESHA, Wis. – The Carroll University men's basketball team fell in a tightly contested battle with the Bethany Lutheran Vikings by a score of 76-81. Ryan Mendoza made the all-tournament team after finishing the game with a career-high 26-points on 9-19 shooting including 6-6 at the free-throw line. Justin Steinike pulled in a team-high eight rebounds while Ethan Balinao led with five steals.
 
The Pioneers (3-3, 0-0 CCIW) tied with the Vikings seven times throughout the game that saw seven lead changes. Carroll led by as much as nine points in the second half. Bethany Lutheran finished with 34 points in the paint to Carroll's 32, while Carroll's bench outscored Bethany Lutheran's 39-31. The Pioneers finished the game shooting 41.3% from the floor, but only converted 11-30 shots in the second half while taking 22 free throws.
 
Balinao gave Carroll an 8-4 lead four minutes into the game, converting his second steal of the game to a fast-break layup. After falling behind by one, Josh Hudgens (6 PTS) knocked down a three-pointer to give Carroll the lead again by two. The Vikings led by as much as six with 11:32 to play after a 12-2 run with 11:32 remaining in the first half. Justin Gruber (7 PTS, 3 REB) brought the deficit down to one with 5:19 remaining, but back-to-back buckets in the paint for the Vikings gave them a 30-25 lead. Carroll stormed back with back-to-back three-pointers to take a one-point lead, into halftime.
 
Paradisio Dante (12 PTS, 7 REB) gave Carroll its largest lead of the night with 12:29 remaining. Free throws and fast-break baskets gave Bethany Lutheran a chance to tie the game with 8:33 left in regulation after a 12-4 run. A Viking and one with 6:40 to play gave them a 62-59 advantage. Balinao tied the ballgame with a steal leading to a basket with 2:03 left, but the Vikings went to the line six more times in that span, and ultimately won the game on free throws made after the Pioneers found foul trouble early.
 
The Pioneers will play one more game before the Thanksgiving Holiday, taking on the Cougars of Concordia-Chicago at 4 PM in River Forest, Illinois.