BILLINGS, Mont. – The Carroll Men's Basketball team picked up their second road conference win of the season on Thursday, taking their first meeting with Rocky Mountain College, 72-65 at the Fortin Education Center in Billings.
 
The Fighting Saints (9-8, 3-1) seem to be picking up steam heading into the meat of their conference slate. Rebounds and free throws down the stretch helped them secure a win over the Battlin' Bears (10-7, 1-3) to solidify their second-place position in the conference standings.
 
Both teams took their time to feel each other out in the early stages of the game, and the slow-paced first half played right into Carroll's favor.
 
The pace would pick up near the midway point of the opening half, and Rocky would grab the game's first substantial advantage on a Jesse Owens three-pointer that would give them a seven point lead.
 
The Rocky lead would grow to as large as nine points, but seven-consecutive points from Andrew Cook (Huntington Beach, Calif. / JR) would put Carroll on top by three with just three minutes to go in the half.
 
Owens would give Rocky a one-point lead at halftime, 31-30, as neither team could score in the final two minutes of the half.
 
A quick run out of the break would give Rocky another six-point lead early in the second half, and Carroll would have to fight their way back.
 
Carroll would go on to tie the game several times over the course of the second half, but wouldn't take control until the final four minutes.
 
James Lang (Portland, Ore. / R-SO) went a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line in the game, and provided six clutch shots from the stripe, and three big rebounds over the game's final four minutes to help close the door on the Bears.
 
Lang had a career night, finishing with a game-high 27 points and nine rebounds. Andrew Cook added 17 points, and Zane Foster (Puyallup, Wash. / JR) finished with nine rebounds and four blocks to lead the Saints in the victory.
 
Carroll shot 42 percent from the field, and 72 percent from the free throw line, spurred by Lang's perfect night at the stripe.
 
Rocky attempted 27 three pointers in the game, making just nine as a team.
 
Jesse Owens led the Bears, finishing his night with 23 points and seven assists.
 
Carroll will look to keep their hot start to conference play rolling on Saturday as they face off with MSU-Northern for the first time this season.
 
Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of that game, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.