The win avenges Carroll’s last-second 70-67 loss last weekend at IC. Carroll improves to 11-6 overall, 6-4 in the MWC and remains in the hunt for the league’s regular season championship. Illinois College drops to 7-10 overall, 3-7 in league play.
“This was a good team win for us,” said head coach David Schultz. “Drury got us going early and set a good tone offensively and our defense stepped it up at the same time. We got them down early and made them try to play catch-up.”
Drury’s 31 points gave him 55 points in Carroll’s two wins this weekend. He scored 24 last night in a 133-111 victory over Grinnell College and is now averaging a team-best 15.8 points per game during Midwest Conference games.
Carroll’s full-court pressing defense proved to be the difference in the game as the Pioneers forced 20 turnovers while committing only five. The Pioneers also held a slight rebounding advantage 32-30 with 15 of those rebounds coming on the offensive end. “Offensive rebounding and defensive intensity are the two things you look for in the second game of a back-to-back weekend,” said Schultz. “I was pleased with how active we were on the boards and defensively. We had good bounce and energy and were able to get our hands on a lot of balls.”
Other than Drury’s 31 points and 11 points from junior Jason Scheper, no other starter reached double-figures. Sophomores Paul Toshner and Buck Colomy along with freshman Keith Johnson came off the Pioneer bench to combine for 35 points, led by Toshner’s 13 points. Colomy added 12 points while Johnson chipped in with 10 points.
The Pioneers return to action Friday, Feb. 4 when they travel to Lake Forest College for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Carroll then faces Knox College at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5.
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