Box Score

RIPON, Wis. – In what was easily their biggest win of the season, Ripon upended Carroll College 96-90 in what was arguably their most complete game to date. Ripon shot 51 percent (35-69) in the game, thanks in large part to their first half performance, which saw them hit 63 percent (20-32) of their shots to take a 14-point halftime lead. They were able to stave off a second half comeback by Carroll by sinking free throw after free throw, missing just one of their 26 second half attempts from the charity stripe.

Carroll (14-7, 10-5) got their offense going early, getting out to an 8-2 lead less than two minutes into the game thanks to 3-pointers by Wes Ladwig and Ryan Mueller. Ripon (10-12, 5-10) took the lead a few minutes later on a Scott Gillespie lay-up, putting Ripon up by one. After the score shifted back-and-forth for several minutes, Ripon scored six consecutive points to take a seven-point lead. After that lead was cut to two, Ripon reeled off 12 unanswered points in the final two and a half minutes of the half to take a 14-point lead into halftime. That run consisted of 3-pointers from Shawn Karsten and Rich Cloeter, a Chris Kellett lay-up, and a pair of baskets by Gillespie.

Carroll wouldn't fold easily however, as they scored the first nine points of the second half to climb right back in the game. John Hoch would bring the Pioneers within one with a 3-pointer, which was followed by a Ladwig basket one minute later, giving Carroll a one-point lead. Ripon would take the lead right back and would gain control of the game once again, going up by seven on another long-range shot by Cloeter. Leading by eight with eight and a half minutes left, Carroll would make one final push, scoring five consecutive points to cut the score to 73-70 with under eight minutes to play. That would be as close as the Pioneers would get the rest of the night, as Ripon calmly sank nearly every free throw they took, never letting Carroll get fully back in the game.

Gillespie led the Red Hawks with 26 points, five rebounds, and a career-high 13 assists, which is just two shy of the Ripon single-game assist record. Kellett also came up big, scoring 21 points and grabbing four rebounds. Cloeter and Paul Wise each came off the bench to score 12 points apiece, while Karsten also added seven points and five rebounds in a reserve role. Ripon's bench combined to outscore Carroll's reserves 33-17.

The Pioneers had five players score in double figures, led by Hoch and Ladwig, who each finished with 19 points. Nate Zimmerman also chipped in with 18 points, while Ryan Mueller and Keith Johnson scored 15 and 11, respectively.

Ripon's 2007-08 season will come to an end on Saturday, when the Red Hawks will travel to Beloit to tangle with the Buccaneers. That game will begin at 4:00 p.m. and will be preceded by the women's contest. Both games can be seen live on www.midwestconference.tv.