Dan Forkrud had 21 points and seven rebounds for Carlton. Jake Phillips had 18 to go along with six assists and Kyle Beste scored 17 points. Tommy Drake added 13 points and nine rebounds. With the win, Carleton moves past Bethel to take over third place in the MIAC standings – behind only Gustavus and St. Thomas.
Jackson, who also added eight rebounds while playing all 40 minutes, was joined in double figures by Tom Conboy with 13 points.
Carleton led 39-35 at halftime behind 13 points and six rebounds by Drake. The Knights led most of the second half, but Macalester would no go away. Down by 10 points at 60-50 with 7:45 to play, the Scots staged a 19-10 run over the next six minutes to get to within one point at 70-69 with 2:55 to play. Jackson drilled three three-pointers during this run.
Free throws at 1:58 by Forkrud extended Carleton’s cushion to 72-69 and a Beste jumper at 1:04 made the lead five points at 74-69. Jackson’s 10th three-pointer of the game at :48 and a Carleton missed jumper at :21 made the score 74-72 and gave Macalester one last chance.
Macalester then missed a shot and got the rebound in the closing seconds. Macalester was fouled on the offensive board at :00.4 to play. The Scots, however, weren’t in the bonus and had to inbound the ball. Carleton’s Forkrud stole the in-bounds pass.