BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Carroll University men's basketball team faced off with the no. 2 team in the nation in Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday night. The Pioneers fell 44-63 to the Titans. Trenton Nickel led all scorers with 16 points on 4-8 three-point shooting, while Paradisio Dante pulled in a team-high five rebounds.
 
The Pioneers (3-4, 0-1 CCIW) were down by as little as three points to the Titans in the opening minutes of the second half, but IWU pulled away to finish the game up 19. The Pioneers were held to just 36% shooting, making 18 of 50 baskets, while only shooting 3-6 at the free-throw line. The Pioneer bench scored 20 of the team's 44, led by Nickel. The Pioneers collected seven steals off 15 IWU turnovers but turned the ball over 15 times as well.
 
The Pioneers came out of the gates ready to play, taking a quick 8-5 lead five minutes into the action, led by five points from Nickel. The Titans had answers and settled in with 6:47 left in the first half, taking a 27-18 lead and forcing a 30-second Pioneer timeout. Two Dante free throws and a pull-up jumper by Ryan Mendoza (4 PTS, 2 AST) cut the lead to seven with 5:08 to play. The Titans held the Pioneers scoreless the remaining five minutes, and Carroll went into the break down 11.
 
The Pioneers started with an 8-0 run through the first two minutes of the second half, fueled by five points from Justin Steinike (7 PTS, 4 REB) and a knock-down three-ball from Nickel. The Titans quickly regained the lead on a 10-0 run of their own just three minutes later. The Titans grabbed a 16-point lead after four offensive rebounds led to a two-point layup, forcing a Carroll time out. The Titans took their 19-point lead with 2:47 remaining in the game and held Carroll scoreless the remainder of the time.
 
The Pioneers return to Van Male Field House on Wednesday, December 8 with another battle with a top-25 ranked Wheaton College Thunder program.