The Cougars lost a heartbreaker at the buzzer Friday night at home on a put-back basket by visiting Northwestern (8-5). Final score was 56-55.

The two teams fought back-and-forth all night with seven ties and 18 lead changes. Carroll’s biggest lead was 8 points while Northwestern’s was 5.

Noah Allen’s free throw gave Carroll the initial lead in the first quarter. Five lead changes and two ties later Northwestern held a 15-13 advantage after one. Carroll fell behind by four early in the second quarter, 19-15. The Cougars went on a 10 to 5 run and reclaimed the lead at 25-24 as Allen had 8 points and Tim Ruby 7 in the run. But by half-time the Tigers had regained their lead were up by one, 26-25. In the second quarter Allen had 10 points on 4 of 4 shooting from the field – 2 threes and two twos. He had 15 of his team high 19 points in the first half.

The Cougars came out of the locker room ready to play. Then went on a 9 to 0 spurt for their biggest lead of the night, 34-26. That lead was short-lived as the visitors started a 14 to 1 run and took their biggest lead of the night at 40-35. A Drew Yoder lay-in made the score 40-37 after three periods.

Three points would be the biggest lead either team would have the rest of the way. A trey by Ruby tied the game at 40 all. The fight was on for the rest of the quarter. Three ties and six lead changes followed. With Northwestern up 55- 54, an Eric Miller lay-up gave the Cougars a onepoint advantage with 28 seconds remaining, setting up Northwestern’s big man, Jared Treadway, for the win.

The Cougars had their chance to put this game in the win column, but turnovers and free throws came up and bit them. Carroll had 20 turnovers and missed several key free throws, hitting 11 of 20 (55%) from the line.

“We have to be more consistent in our play and take care of the ball better and hit free throws to preserve leads when we have them,” said Cougar Coach Jeff Hodson.

Mid-Indiana Conference teams’ big men have dominated Carroll on the inside all year and tonight was no different. Northwestern’s 6’6” Treadway did that to the tune of 24 points on 10 of 13 shooting from the field. Carroll’s big men could only muster 9 points.

Allen’s 19 points came on 6 of 12 shooting from the field and 5 of 6 from the line. Ruby had 12 points off the bench on 4 of 5 shooting from the field and 3 of 4 from behind the arch. Yoder added 8 points off the bench.

For the most part this season Carroll has gotten quality play from its bench. Friday night was no exception as Carroll’s bench out scored Northwestern 25-7 and out rebounded them 15 to 1 as Seth Johnson pulled down 8 boards.

Carroll gets back into Hoosier Heartland Conference play this week with games at Clinton Central (1-11); at home Friday night against Delphi (7-5); and Saturday at home against conference foe Clinton Prairie (4-11).

JV loses, too

Carroll JV (7-6) dropped its third straight game Friday after losing to visiting Northwestern 48-29.

The young Cougars fell behind 7-2 after the first quarter. They came back with a 10 to 3 run in the second quarter to tie the game at 12 and led 17-16 at intermission. The second half was all Northwestern. The visitors outscored their hosts 32 to 12 in the half for the win.

Jarrid Robertson led Carroll with 8 points. Blake Seward had 6 points and Brady Wiles added 5.