Lake Forest College junior forward Jim Schick shot 9-for-12 from the field and led the Foresters with 18 points in a 67-58 loss at Carroll University Wednesday evening.
Carroll shot 9-for-10 from the field with five three-pointers to take a 19-6 lead six minutes into the game. The margin grew to as many as 14 points but shrunk to seven late in the half. A Pioneer basket to close out the period made the score 35-46 at halftime.
The home team regained its 14-point advantage three times in the second half but Lake Forest eventually trimmed it to four on the second of back-to-back layups by sophomore guard Danny Nikitas with 3:55 to play. Seven straight points by the Pioneers gave them some breathing room and the Foresters got no closer than seven points the rest of the way Carroll shot 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the final two minutes to secure the victory.
Nikitas finished with 14 points and tied Schick for the team lead with seven rebounds. Schick's season-opening streak of double-doubles ended at four games.
The Foresters shot 45.1 percent from the field but Carroll was a little better at 49 percent. The Pioneers also outscored their guests 24-15 from three-point range and 11-7 at the foul line. Lake Forest had a 31-27 edge in rebounds and committed 15 of the game's 31 turnovers.
The loss drops the Foresters' overall record this season to 2-3 and they fell to 1-1 in Midwest Conference play. Carroll is now 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the league.
Lake Forest will host Knox College Saturday afternoon at 3:00.