Carroll edges Rossville in old fashion ‘barn burner’
By Greg Hoffman

Carroll’s No. 20 Riley Eller drives to the basket in the second overtime against Rossville, setting up the game-winning free throw. Bill Stauffer photo

Instead of moping around over last week’s two losses, the Carroll Cougars picked themselves up off the floor and stepped it up a notch with a come from behind 77-76 double overtime victory over Rossville at Memorial Gym Friday night.

It was Carroll’s first Hoosier Heartland Conference match-up this season. The Cougars now stand at 2-3 on the year and 1-0 in conference play, while Rossville is 2-4 and 1-1.

A pumped up Memorial Gym crowd saw several Carroll players reach career highs as Jacob Craig had a game and career high 25 points and pulled down 9 rebounds. Kevin Ives and Jason Hazel had career highs with 15 and 13 points, respectively. Adam Tussinger had his first double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. He also had 7 assists. Riley Eller, who was double teamed most of the night, handed out 7 assists.

Rossville also had four players in double figures – Jordan Mulligan led the way with 21 points, Aaron Martin had 18 and Derek Brenneman and Jordan Delks had 17 and 12 points each.

Things did not start well for Carroll early as a fielder by Craig tied the game at 2. Rossville ran off the next 10 points to go up 12-2. The Hornets went away from their inside game and went 0-6 from behind the arch which in turn enabled the Cougars to get back into the game with an 8- 4 run. They had closed to within four at 14-10 after one.

The Hornets rattled off 5 unanswered points to start the second quarter and held a 6-point advantage by half-time, 25-19. The Cougars fell behind by 8 points

early in the third stanza, but fought back to tie the game at 34 all. Rossville outscored Carroll 6-2 to finish out the third quarter to lead 40-36.

The fourth quarter and two overtime periods is where this game went to a different level. After falling behind 45-40, the Cougars began chipping away at Rossville’s lead. With 53 seconds left in regulation, a Tussinger trey gave Carroll its first lead of the night at 57-56. That lead was short-lived as a trey by Martin with 24 ticks left put the Hornets up 59-57. Pressure free throws by Ives tied the game at 59 at the end of regulation. Ives had 11 points in the quarter and was 3 of 3 from behind the arch. Carroll’s comeback in the final quarter was aided by Rossville’s 1 of 6 free throw shooting.

In the first overtime, there was one tie and five lead changes. Free throws by Martin gave Rossville the early lead. Tussinger tied the game at 61. Treys by Tussinger and Hazel put Carroll up 67-65. A Martin trey had Rossville on top, 68-67. A fielder by Craig and free throws by Hazel put the Cougars back up by 3, but another Martin trey with time running out sent the game into the second extra period tied at 71.

An old-fashion three-point play by Craig gave Carroll a 74- 71 lead to start the second overtime

period. Rossville tied it at 74. A pair of free throws by Hazel gave the advantage back to Carroll, but a fielder by Brendan Miller knotted the score at 76.

A Hornet turnover gave the ball back to Carroll with 12 seconds to play. The Cougars worked the clock and with 5 seconds left drove to the hoop where Craig was fouled on his rebound attempt with 1 second left. He calmly stepped to the line and sank the first of two free throws and then purposely missed the second attempt to give Carroll the win.

In the fourth quarter and two extra periods the two teams were lights out from behind the arch. Rossville went 6 of 7 (86%) and Carroll was 8 of 11 (73%). From the free throw line in that span, the Cougars sank 9 of 10 while the Hornets hit 4 of 10. For the game Carroll was 28 of 58 (48%) and 12 of 14 (86%) from the line while Rossville went 30 of 65 (46%) and 9 of 21 (43%). Next up for the Cougars is trip to Western (4-2) Thursday night. Western leads the series 26-19.

JV

The 3 and 2 Cougars fell to visiting Rossville, 58-48. Carroll jumped out to a 6-lead, but Rossville fought back to tie the game at 11 and 13

before a basket by Adam Spesard gave the Cougar’s a 2- men record first victory point edge at 15-13 after one. Spesard had 10 points in the quarter.

Rossville’s Travis Perkins gave the Hornets their first lead and the lead for good at 18-17. From there the Hornets used a 14-1 run to push their advantage to 14 points, 32-18. A pair of fielders by Justin Brown pulled Carroll to within 10 points by half-time, 32-22.

The Cougars chipped at the Hornets’ lead, but could get no closer than 7 points in the second half.

Spesard led Carroll with 22 points. Brad Benson had 9 and Brown and Kyle Geheb split 16 points. Perkins had a gamehigh 30 points for Rossville on 8 treys. Ryan Hendryx and Robbie Holford had 9 points each.