WAUKESHA, Wis. – A quick start to the second half snapped a halftime tie and propelled the No. 24 Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team to an 82-70 win over the Carroll Pioneers in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game at Van Male Fieldhouse in Waukesha, Wis., on Saturday, Jan. 20.
 
Winners of six straight games, Illinois Wesleyan improved to 14-3 overall and 7-1 in the CCIW at the league's midway point while Carroll is now 5-12 overall and 1-7 against CCIW opponents.
 
The first half featured 14 lead changes and eight ties, including a 37-37 deadlock at the end of the period.
 
"We knew that Carroll is a team that plays extremely hard so I wasn't surprised it was a close first half," said IWU head coach Ron Rose in a postgame interview with WJBC Radio. "In the second half I thought our ball movement was better and we were more decisive."
 
The Titans reeled off 11 straight points to open the final 20 minutes and grab a lead of 48-37 and had a 15-2 opening rally for a 52-39 lead with 14:24 left. The Pioneers were able to close to within five on four occasions, including 72-67 with 3:25 to play. But the Titans got two 3-pointers from junior Jason Gregoire and outscored the Pioneers 10-3 to close out the game.
 
"It was a hard-fought game and when they cut our lead to five we really responded," Rose said. "Jason (Gregoire) stepped up big with a couple of big baskets and big rebounds. He really plays with a lot of enthusiasm."
 
Brady Rose again led the Titans with 27 points as he was 11-of-16 from field while Gregoire scored 14 points and snared a game-high eight rebounds as the Titans outrebounded the Pioneers 29-24. Sophomore Zach Knobloch had 13 points and sophomore Alex O'Neill added 11 markers.

Tanner Zaeske led the Pios with 15 points as Tyler Ingebrightsen added 12 and Joe Heesch had 10 points and a team-best seven rebounds.
 
What's Next?
The Titans are on the road for their midweek game, playing at Elmhurst at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 24 … The Titans handled the Bluejays 87-75, at the Shirk Center on Jan. 6 … Elmhurst is 11-6 overall and 4-4 in the CCIW after a 91-77 win at home over North Central.