BOXSCORE

Wheaton, Ill. – The Thunder men's basketball team, ranked 13th in the most recent D3Hoops.com top-25 poll, overcame a 16-point deficit in the second half to defeat Carthage 70-64 on Wednesday night in King Arena. Tonight's victory was Wheaton's seventh consecutive win and improves the team to 11-1 overall and the squad opens conference play at 1-0 in the CCIW. Carthage falls to 5-6 overall and 0-1 in the CCIW. Wheaton will travel to North Central on Saturday in a 7:30 PM tipoff against the Cardinals that will be broadcast on WETN radio at 88.1 FM in the Wheaton area and on the internet at www.wetn.org.

Carthage led 40-35 at halftime and the guests opened the second half with a 15-4 scoring run that was capped off by consecutive three-pointers by Billy Shemerdiak and Trey Bowens to increase the Carthage lead to 55-39 with 13:00 left in the game.

With 12:45 left in the game Wheaton freshman Andrew Jahns drained a three-pointer to ignite a tremendous 31-9 Thunder scoring run to close out the game. The trio of Ben Panner (11 points), Jahns (nine points) and Andy Wiele (nine points) combined to score 29 of Wheaton's 31 points in the game-ending run. Wiele also contributed five rebounds during the stretch. A critical moment came with 35-seconds left in regulation, as Wheaton led 64-62, when Wiele dished the ball off to an open Panner who buried his sixth three-pointer of the game to extend the Thunder lead to 67-62.

Panner shot 9-for-14 from the field, including 6-for-9 from three-point range to score a career-high 28 points. Wiele (PICTURED RIGHT) scored 19 points, with 13 rebounds, including six offensive caroms. The junior recorded his seventh “double-double” of the year, tallying double digits in both points and rebounds. Kent Raymond scored 10 points, all in the first half. Raymond also contributed six rebounds and three assists. Jahns scored nine points, all in the second half.

Carthage freshmen Steve Djurickovic led the Red Men with 20 points and five assists. Sophomore Sean Fendley scored 11 points and Neb Franciskovic added 10 points, with five rebounds.
Wheaton shot 46.4% (26-56) from the field, with 40.9% (9-22) from behind the three-point arc and 75% (9-12) at the free throw line. Carthage posted a 49.1% (26-53) field goal percentage, with 38.9% (7-18) from three-point range and 71.4% (5-7) at the free throw line. Wheaton held a 33-28 edge in rebounding, with an 11-6 advantage on the offensive glass as the Thunder out-scored Carthage 15-4 in second-chance points.