DECATUR, Ill. – The Carroll University men's basketball team struggled to keep the Millikin Big Blue offense from hitting shots in the 74-64 loss on Saturday evening. Aaron Wafford scored a game-high 18 points with three assists, a block, a rebound, and a steal. Justin Steinike followed with 11 points on 4-7 shooting.
 
The Pioneers (6-15, 2-10) CCIW fall to double-digit CCIW losses for the second time since rejoining the prestigious conference. The Pioneers started the game shooting just under 52% from the field and made 6-13 three-point baskets. Carroll went cold, however, making only nine baskets in the second half as Millikin pulled away. The Big Blue made 17-19 free throws in the second half, as Carroll got into foul trouble. Carroll created 10 points off of fast breaks, after coming away with five steals and forcing 11 turnovers.
 
Carroll quickly found themselves down 6-0 two minutes into the ball game, but after missing a three-pointer, Trenton Nickel got a second-chance layup to give Carroll its first points of the night. The Pioneers were down 13-2 with 15:35 on the clock, but Justin Gruber snapped the Carroll cold streak with a three-point jumper. Tyler Miller and Josh Hudgens followed up with two more three-pointers to cut the deficit down to just two points. After keeping close, Wafford scored the tying bucket and the go-ahead bucket with 7:43 left in the first period. Wafford was on an 11-2 run himself, propelling the Pioneers to a four-point lead. The Pioneers went into halftime up five points.
 
Wafford knocked down a three-point jump shot to start the second half, but the Big Blue followed up with an 11-4 run to cut the lead to just two with 16:32 remaining in the game. The Pioneers went cold, as Eckahelo Simpson made a layup with 11:32 on the clock, Carroll wouldn't make another field goal until the clock read 7:35. Millikin cut the lead to two points off of bonus free throws and took the lead with 3:34 remaining off more free throw makes. Gruber was the only Pioneer to make a field goal in the final seven minutes of the game.
 
The Pioneers will return to Waukesha to play Elmhurst University on Monday, February 7. Carroll last played Elmhurst back in December 2021 and fell to the then no. 14 team in the country, 78-85.