Hot start leads Vikings to victory over Carroll

WAUKESHA, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team hit its first seven shots from the floor Wednesday and turned that hot start into a 61-49 Midwest Conference win over Carroll University at Van Male Fieldhouse.

Jamie Nikitas scored a game-high 26 points for the Vikings (10-12, 8-9 MWC) and turned in a great all-around game. Nikitas, who hit 11-of-17 shots from the floor, picked up eight rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Trace Sonnleitner added eight points, four rebounds and three blocks for the Vikings.

Marcus Johnson scored 19 points, and Bryan Nagy had 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds for the Pioneers (8-14, 5-12), losers of eight straight.

Sonnleitner started the game by hitting a 3-pointer and the Vikings were off and running. Nikitas hit a jumper and Sonnleitner, Nikitas and Troy Miller hit consecutive 3-pointers, and the Vikings led 14-2.

Nikitas scored the next three baskets, a pair of layups sandwiched around a 3-pointer, and Lawrence led 21-6 with 12:02 left in the first half.

The Vikings would stretch the advantage to as many as 19 points in the first half before settling for a 38-21 lead at the break.

Lawrence went 15-for-24 (62.5 percent), including 8-for-13 (61.5 percent) from 3-point range, from the floor in the opening half.

Carroll trimmed the lead to 38-27 on Johnson’s layup with 16:03 left in the game, but the Vikings rallied. Nikitas scored the next eight points for the Vikings, and Ryan DePouw’s layup capped a 10-3 run that gave Lawrence a 48-30 lead with 13:30 left.

Carroll never got closer than 13 points until the final seconds of the game.

Box score