The Carthage College men's basketball team (7-8, 3-2 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) defeated CCIW-opponent Millikin University (6-10, 1-4 CCIW), 80-76, on Saturday, Jan. 17 at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.  For head coach Bosko Djurickovic, it was his 500th career win (500-255, 29 years overall/304-176, 20 years at Carthage)

Carthage raced out to a 19-point lead, 21-2, at 12:03, with Cameron Van Wyk scoring six points in that stretch,  Millikin used a 21-9 run to close the gap to seven points, 30-23, at 2:38, and the Red Men led by nine at the break, 36-27.  The Red Men went back up by 19, 50-31, at 14:37 second period.  Once again, the Big Blue answered to close the margin to nine points, 64-55, at 4:00.  It go even closer at the end, as Millikin made it a four-point game, 77-73, with 23 seconds remaining.  Carthage went on to win by four, 80-76.

Carthage shot 52 percent (24-46), including six-of-17 from three-point range, while Millikin shot 44 percent (29-66), including nine-of-18 three-pointers.  The Red Men got to the free-throw line 32 times and made 26 for an 81 percent mark, while the Big Blue connected on nine-of-12.  Carthage had a narrow, 33-31 rebounding advantage.

Four Red Men starters scored in double figures, with Cameron Van Wyk (Sr., Wassenaar, Netherlands) leading the way with 16 points on six-of-seven field goals, along with four-of-five free throws and six rebounds.  Mike Stevenson (So., Burlington, Wis./Wilmot-Union) scored 15 points on five-of-seven field goals, including two-of-four three-pointers.  Donte Logan (Sr., Evanston, Ill./Skokie-Niles West) had 12 points and 10 assists, while Brad Kruse (Fr., Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich) chipped in 10 points.  T.J. Sims led Millikin with 22 points on 10-of-19 shooting.

"Our execution and effort in the second half was not good enough," said Carthage coach Bosko Djurickovic.  "Millikin came into the game averaging four three-point baskets, and we let them have nine.  I don't know if it was energy or execution or putting people in the right place, but we have to play better.  Having said that, I'm thrilled that we got the win in front of a great home crowd.  If you would have said a few weeks ago that we'd be 3-2, I would have signed on.  Still, we have to finish better and play better.  We are what we are, in terms of personnel, but these guys have really taken it to heart.  We've played as well as we can over the last four or five games, and I can't ask any more of them."

Carthage plays host to conference-opponent North Central College (13-3, 3-2 CCIW) on Wednesday, Jan. 21 in  7 p.m. contest, also at Tarble Arena.