Box Score A thriller from start to finish, game one of the Midwest Conference header at Monmouth's Glennie Gym did not disappoint with 17 lead changes - four in the final minute as the Scots' one-point lead was erased a the buzzer in a 70-68 loss.
 
Those final moments proved to be enough as Carroll's Ben Widdes sank a three pointer as the buzzer sounded, giving the Pioneers the 70-68 victory just seconds after Will Jones' layup with seven second left gave Monmouth a 68-67 lead.
 
Heading into the locker room at half time, the Fighting Scots found themselves trailing by four at 32-28. A late spark brought on by an Austin Holman bucket-and-one and a Reed Goodbred jumper helped dwindle the once 10 point Carroll lead. Jones led the way on the glass and in the points column with five boards and seven points through the first 20 minutes. The Scots took care of the ball with only 5 turnovers.
 
In the second half, the Scots refused to go away finally pulling ahead by four with 8 minutes left in the game on an Andrew Mathison dunk. Two free throws by Jones upped the Scots' lead to 57-54 with 6:18 to play, but the Pioneers again circled the wagon and knotted the score on their own bucket-and-one.


As they had done over the first 35 minutes, the teams traded the lead down the stretch. A Riley Blea layup with the feed from Mathison gave the Scots a 66-56 lead with 20 seconds left, forcing a Carroll timeout. The timeout proved fruitful as the Pios regained a 67-66 lead with a bucket in the paint.


Jones' ensuing bucket looked as if it might be the winner, putting the Scots ahead 68-67 with 13 seconds left, but Widdes 3-point - his only points of the game - propelled the Pios to the win as time expired.


Jones built on his first half flurry to finish with 23 points and nine rebounds. The Scots would rally to win the battle of the boards at a 38-29 mark.
 
Carroll's balanced scoring attack, with no player over 11 points for the game, proved to be enough.
 
The Scots (4-2) will face Midwest Conference opponent Grinnell College (4-4) Tuesday December 8^th at 5:30pm.