Box Score

HOLLAND, Mich. – For the third straight year, the Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team has won a first-round game in the NCAA Division III tournament, getting a 69-61 win over Wis.-Stevens Point at DeVos Fieldhouse in Holland, Mich.

The Titans improved to 20-7 while No. 27 Stevens Point bows out with a 20-8 record. The Titans will take on No. 1-ranked Hope (27-1), a 79-65 winner over Westminster (17-11) in the second-round game at 7 p.m. (ET) on Saturday. The Flying Dutchmen got a 37-point, 14-rebound effort from Nate Snuggerud in the victory.
TICKET ALERT: Tickets for Saturday's game are available either in person at the Hope College box office from 10 a.m. to noon (ET) or by calling 616-395-7890 between those hours and paying with a credit card. Tickets may then be picked up at Will Call.

Illinois Wesleyan, which never trailed in the game, jumped out to an early 21-10 lead with 8:23 left in the first half before the Pointers closed to within four at 23-19 with 4:52 to play before halftime. But IWU allowed only one basket, a 3-pointer, the rest of the way while outscoring Stevens Point 8-3 to hold a halftime edge of 31-22.
IWU shot 41 percent from the field in the first half and committed only six turnovers compared to 13 for the Pointers.

IWU led by 11 at 39-28 with 15:56 to go before the Pointers went on 9-0 run to close to within two at 39-37 with 11:35 left.
But a 3-pointer by senior Stephen Rudnicki and a layup by senior Eliud Gonzalez on back-to-back possessions got IWU back to a 44-37 lead and they held on the remainder of the game.

“I thought our defense was very active early,” Titans' coach Ron Rose said. “Defense has been a big part of our identity all season, and when we've played well, it's started on that end of the court.”

Senior John Koschnitzky led IWU with 15 points while Rudnicki added 14. Sophomore Victor Davis had 11 points and senior Jordan Zimmer scored 10.

Gonzalez was the Titans' leading rebounder with seven and handed out six assists.

The Titans shot 44.4 percent in the game (28 of 63) and made only 3 of 14 3-pointers. IWU was woeful at the line, making only 10 of 22 (45.5 percent).

Stevens Point, who led the Titans in rebounding 41-34, shot 34.7 percent (17 of 49). The Pointers made 6 of 18 3-pointers and knocked home 21 of 27 free throws.

Three Pointers scored in double figures, led by Jordan Brezinski with 21 and Dan Tillema with 14 points. Trevor Hass had 11 points and 7 rebounds and Jason Ziemer also collected 7 boards.

“Our guys made no excuses. We were resilient. We wanted to play the hand we were deal with down the stretch,” Pointers' coach Bob Semling said. “We felt we could win a game in the NCAA tournament. We dug ourselves a deep hole to start the game.”

NOTES: Saturday's second round game will mark the first meeting between Illinois Wesleyan and Hope in men's basketball. The teams will meet next year in a Florida tournament and then embark on a home-and-home series for the two seasons after that...The Friday win gives the Titans a 20-win season for the third year in a row and is the 22nd 20-win season in school history…The Titans are now 44-20 in NCAA Division III tournament play…IWU head coach Ron Rose's career record improved to 102-61...Stevens Point ended its season by losing four of its last five games…The Pointers' leading scorer, junior Tyler Tillema, did not play in the game due to a thumb injury.