Titans Take Down Big Blue, Take Over First Place in CCIW

2/4/2015 8:37:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Matt Kinney, Sports Information Assistant, mkinney@iwu.edu

Box Score

DECATUR, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team closed out the first half on a 23-9 run to cruise past Millikin 80-61 at the Griswold Center on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Coupled with an Augustana loss in overtime on Wednesday, the Titans have sole possession of first place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.

The Titans improved to 16-5 overall and 8-2 in the CCIW, sweeping the season series over the Big Blue. Millikin slipped to 8-13 and 3-7 in the CCIW following the defeat.

IWU trailed for only 14 seconds in the first half, and used eight 3-point field goals including four from junior Bryce Dolan, who led the Titans with 12 points at intermission. After jumping out to a 17-10 lead with 13:09 left in the first half, the Big Blue went on a 7-0 run to tie the score at 17 with 10:12 left in the first half. The Titans would respond by outscoring Millikin 23-9 in the last 10 minutes of the half to take a 40-26 lead into the locker room.

IWU extended its lead to start the second half, taking their largest lead of the game at 64-34 with 11:03 left in the game off a Brady Rose layup. The Titans let the Big Blue get no closer than 68-48 before settling for the 19 point victory.

Illinois Wesleyan attempted 34 3-point field goals, tied for the fourth most in a single game in school history, and the Titans have made (204) and attempted (511) more 3-pointers than any other CCIW school. North Park is second with 160 made 3s and 450 tries. Against Millikin, IWU controlled the rebounding battle, holding a 31-20 advantage on the glass and benefited from 43 bench points.

Illinois Wesleyan Statistics and Leaders
Field Goal Percentage - .484 (30 of 62)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .471 (16 of 34)
Free Throw Percentage - .400 (4 of 10)
Dolan (12 points, 4 assists)
Alec Bausch (11 points, 9 rebounds)
Senior Pat Sodemann (11 points, 2 steals)
Freshman Brady Rose (10 points)

Millikin Statistics and Leaders
Field Goal Percentage - .344 (21 of 61)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .308 (4 of 13)
Free Throw Percentage - .750 (15 of 20)
Zach Long (12 points, 5 rebounds)
Tommy Pilackas (10 points, 4 rebounds)
Bryn Agnew (6 points, 8 rebounds)

Who's Next?
The Titans return home to host North Central on Saturday at 7 p.m. The game is the annual "Pink Zone" game with monies raised from auctions and tee shirt sales going to benefit the local Community Cancer Center ... North Central (16-5 overall, 6-4 CCIW) upset No. 6 Augustana on the road 72-70 in overtime on Wednesday night and defeated Illinois Wesleyan, 78-72, in Naperville on Jan. 3.

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