GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Tyler Peters scored 20 points in Wheaton's 67-62 loss at Carthage on Wednesday night.

Kenosha, Wis.- The Wheaton Thunder men's basketball teams went the final seven minutes and 32 seconds without a field goal as the Thunder dropped a 67-62 contest against the Carthage Red Men on Wednesday night. After a Caleb DeMoss three-pointer gave Wheaton a 58-54 lead with 7:32 to play, Carthage closed the game on a 13-4 run to give Wheaton its first conference loss of the year. The loss drops Wheaton to 10-5 overall and 3-1 in CCIW play while Carthage improves to a similar 10-5  overall record with a 3-1 conference mark.

Wheaton shot 40.4% (21-52) from the field including 31.8% (7-22) from the three-point line and 72.2% (13-18) from the free throw line. Carthage shot a 50% (21-42) from the field and was 4-10 from the three-point line while shooting 70% (21-30) from the free throw line.

Wheaton, ranked #21 in the latest D3Hoops.com poll, led for a majority of the game and following an early free throw by Carthage, the Thunder led for the remaining 19:11 of the first half. Early three-pointers by Tyler Peters and Brayden Teuscher helped the Thunder race out to a six-point lead before Carthage was able to rally to tie the game at 16 apiece. Joel Smith broke a 20-20 tie and helped Wheaton push the lead to as many as eight points before a Malcom Kelly jumper at the buzzer set the halftime score at 36-30.

Four straight points by Nate Haynes (PICTURED RIGHT) to start the second half staked to Wheaton to a 40-32 lead, but Carthage responded with eight unanswered points to tie the game at 40. Consecutive three-pointers by Michael Berg and Tad Fisher gave Wheaton a 55-50 lead with 10:35 to play. Following a three-pointer by Caleb DeMoss at the 7:32 mark, Carthage worked its way back to take the lead with 4:34 to play. Three free throws by Peter Smith with 18 second to play, to cut the lead down to three but Carthage iced the game at the free throw line for 67-62 victory.

Tyler Peters scored 14 of his team-high 20 points in the first half and Brayden Teuscher scored 11 of his 13 in the first half as well. Nate Haynes finished with 10 points and six rebounds. Malcolm Kelly led all scorers with 28 points, including 18 after the intermission.

Wheaton will continue its road swing on Saturday night at 7 PM when the Thunder travels to Bloomington to take on the #4-ranked Illinois Wesleyan Titans in a matchup of conference leaders.