The Carthage College men's basketball team (12-13, 6-8 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) concluded its 2011-12 season on Saturday night, Feb. 18 with a 74-73 overtime loss to CCIW-opponent and No. 17 Augustana College (Ill., 19-5, 9-4 CCIW) at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.
Carthage jumped out to a nine-point lead, 14-5, at 12:30. The Red Men were still leading by eight points, 18-10, at 8:05 before the Vikings scored nine unanswered points to take a 19-18 lead at 4:51. The game was tied at 25 all at the break. Carthage led by seven points on several occasions in the second half, the last at 53-46 at 8:07. Augustana tied the game, 53-53, at 5;39. With Carthage up by two, 59-57, Bryant Voiles connected on a three-pointer to put the Vikings up by one, 60-59. Max Cary answered with a three-pointer, and Carthage led by two, 62-60. Voiles hit another trey, and Augustana went back up by a point, 63-62. Luke Johnson converted two free throws to put the Red Men back up by one, 64-63. A jumper by Kevin Sykes with 30 seconds to go put Carthage up by three, 66-63, but Troy Rorer's three-pointer at the buzzer put the game into overtime, tied at 66.
In the extra period, the Vikings broke a 70-70 tie at 2:38 on a layup by Rorer. Brandon Kunz converted two free throws at 1:18 to make it 74-70. A three-pointer by Tyler Pierce with 51 seconds to go shaved the lead to one point, 74-73. The Vikings turned the ball on their next possession, but Malcom Kelly missed a layup Carthage rebounded with 0.2 seconds left, but the Red Men were unable to get a shot off, and the 74-73 score held up.
Augustana shot 47 percent (26-55), including six-of-17 from three-point range, while Carthage shot 50 percent (27-54), including seven-of-15 three-pointers. The Vikings got to the free-throw line 24 times and made 16, while Carthage converted 12-of-15. Augustana had a whopping, 40-24 rebounding edge, including 18 offensive boards. Four Viking players scored in double figures, with Bryant Voiles leading the way with 18 points and eight rebounds. Kameron Norton had 15 points and eight boards, Troy Rorer 14 points and five rebounds, and Brandon Kunz added 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Carthage's Max Cary (Sr., Geneva, Ill.) scored a game-high 17 points on six-of-11 field goals, including three-of-five three-pointers, along with four assists. Mitch Thompson (Jr., Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) had 15 points and five boards, and Malcom Kelly (Jr., Kenosha, Wis./Reuther) chipped in 12 points.
"It was a great college basketball game," said Carthage coach Bosko Djurickovic, "but it hurt a lot to lose this one. We did everything but win the game, and that's, unfortunately, a snapshot of our season. We had legitimate chances to win a lot of close games this year, and we usually came up a little short. Give Augustana credit. Troy Rorer could attempt that shot 50 times, and it wouldn't go in, but somehow it went in tonight to send the game into overtime. We're not a good rebounding team, and that's my fault for not emphasizing that enough. We're playing small and trapping, and that can leave you vulnerable on the boards. We have to correct that before next season. If our people stay the course, we have a chance to be especially good, and I would expect us to be a top-two or top-three team in the league next year."