PICTURED ABOVE: Jake Mlagan scored a career-high 16 points to help Wheaton to a 78-71 win over Carroll on Wednesday night.

Wheaton, Ill. - A 17-5 second half run broke up an back-and-forth game on Wednesday night and led the Thunder men's basketball team to a 78-71 victory over the Carroll Pioneers. The victory snaps a three-game losing streak for the Thunder and evens their record at 6-6 overall and 2-1 in the CCIW. Carroll is also 6-6 overall but fell to 1-2 in the CCIW. Wheaton will next be in action on Saturday, January 7, when the Thunder travel to face Illinois Wesleyan at 7 PM.

Both teams shot the ball well on Wednesday night, with the Thunder shooting 52.7% (29-55) from the field and 47.4% (9-19) on three-point attempts. Wheaton was 73.3% (11-15) at the free throw line. The Pioneers shot 50% (24-48) from the field and were also 47.4% (9-19) from the three-point line. Carroll shot 82.4% (14-17) at the charity stripe. Wheaton held a 32-22 edge in the rebounding battle including a 10-3 advantage in offensive rebounds.

The first half was a tightly contested contest with neither team opening up a lead larger than five points. Carroll used an 8-0 run to build their biggest lead of the game at 10-5 just 2:28 into the game. Wheaton answered with a 7-0 run capped by the second three-pointer of the game by Aston Francis. Wheaton would build its biggest lead of the half with 14:38 left before halftime when a three-point play by Jake Mlagan put Wheaton ahead 17-13. Carroll responded with a 10-2 run to take a four-point lead at 23-19 with 11:32 to play in the half.

Neither team would stretch the lead beyond three points for the remainder of the first half. The scored was tied on nine different occasions in the first half with each team holding a lead five different times. Jay Spencer's three-pointer with 1:01 left in the half would be the final basket of the first half and gave Wheaton a 39-38 lead. Wheaton held Carroll without an offensive rebound in the first half and outscored the Pioneers 21-3 in bench points.

The second half opened as a carbon copy of the first half with Luke Peters (PICTURED RIGHT) opening the half with a lay-up to put Wheaton ahead by three points, the largest lead either team would have for the first 11 minutes of the half. Trailing 55-54, Aston Francis gave Wheaton the lead for good with running jumper in the lane with 8:55 to play. That basket would open a 17-5 run that saw Wheaton open up the biggest lead of the game at 11 points. Francis connected on a pair of three-pointers during the run including a bomb from near the center court logo with the shot clock running down to answer a Carroll three-pointer on the previous possession. It was Francis' three-pointer from the corner that put Wheaton ahead 71-60 with 4:01 to play.

Carroll worked the lead back down to seven points but Francis iced the game with a three-pointer from the right wing, part of his 15 second half points, to help Wheaton coast to the 78-71 victory.

Aston Francis led all scorers with 21 points, including five three-pointers. Ricky Samuelson and Jake Mlagan each finished with 16 points, with Samuelson chipping in seven rebounds and three steals. Luke Peters recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists. Ben Widdes led the pioneers with 21 points and Nick Penny chipped in 14 points.