Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. - The No. 24-ranked Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team led by as many as nine in the first half and by two at halftime but North Park's aggressive play and outstanding free throw shooting sent the Titans to an 85-83 loss in Chicago on Saturday, Feb. 14.

The loss sends the IWU record to 17-7 overall and 9-4 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, putting them in second place behind Augustana (20-4, 10-3 CCIW). The Vikings trailed Millikin 65-63 with 2:13 left in the game but scored the final 10 points to get a 73-65 win, clinch a share of the CCIW championship and (by virtue of tie-breakers over IWU and Elmhurst) earn the right to host the conference tournament in Rock Island Feb. 27-28.

North Park improved to 15-9 overall and 6-7 in CCIW play, still alive for a conference tournament berth.

For the second time this season, junior Bryce Dolan sniped in seven 3-point field goals, the second most in an IWU single game, and finished with a team-best 23 points. "I thought Bryce did a great job," said Illinois Wesleyan head coach Ron Rose in a WJBC Radio postgame interview. "I wish we could have got him a few more shots."

The Titans, who have a two-game losing streak for the second time this season, had a 29-20 lead with 6:08 before halftime and had a 38-30 edge with 3:00 to go. But the Vikings outscored IWU 8-2 the rest of the half to trail by two at 40-38 at the break.

With the score tied at 44-44 with 17:05 left, North Park went on an 8-2 run to grab a 52-46 lead with 13:44 to go and led the rest of the way, helped by making 24 of 27 free throws (.889) in the final period.

North Park outrebounded IWU, 42-27, and the Vikings committed 17 turnovers compared to 11 for the Titans.

Illinois Wesleyan head coach Ron Rose told WJBC Radio in a postgame interview, "We had a lead in the first half but just didn't finish enough plays. The 50-50 balls almost always went their way and they played with confidence while I thought we weren't very aggressive defensively. We no longer control our own destiny for a conference championship so we'd need some help for that, but we'll prepare really well this week for our game with Elmhurst."

ILLINOIS WESLEYAN STATISTICS, LEADERS
Field Goal Percentage – .467 (28 of 60)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage – .393 (11 of 28)
Free Throw Percentage – .696 (16 of 23)
Dolan (23 points)
Junior Mike Marietti (14 points, 7-of-8 from field)
Senior Dylan Overstreet (12 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists)
Sophomore Trevor Seibring (6 points)

NORTH PARK STATISTICS, LEADERS
Field Goal Percentage – .423 (22 of 52)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage – .423 (11 of 26)
Free Throw Percentage – .750 (30 of 40)
Jordan Robinson (28 points, 8 rebounds)
Juwan Henry (24 points)
T.J. Cobbs (14 points, 9 rebounds)

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Titans play their final regular season game at home next Saturday, Feb. 21 against Elmhurst (19-5, 9-4 CCIW). The Bluejays were 84-78 winners over North Central on Saturday ... It will be "Seniors' Day" at Illinois Wesleyan as honored pre-game will be Overstreet, Pat Sodemann, Jordan Nelson and Brandon Heyen ... The Bluejays topped IWU 76-73 at Elmhurst on Jan. 24.