BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – A three-game roadtrip begins at the University of Chicago Tuesday, Nov. 19 for the Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team. IWU and UC, who will meet for the 20th straight season, are scheduled for a 7 p.m. inside the Ratner Athletics Center.
Illinois Wesleyan wrapped up its first week of play with a 2-1 overall record following a 95-76 win over Alma College, Nov. 16. After opening the season with an 85-75 win at Millikin University, Nov. 10, Chicago dropped a 102-89 clash against Lake Forest, Nov. 13, and enters the matchup with IWU at 1-1 on the season.
Fans can tune into the games via live stats or live stream, while Eric Stock and Joel Swanson will also have the call on 98.3 FM WEXG. Links on how to follow along can be found on the men's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.
SCHUMACHER SNAGS CCIW HONORS: Keondre Schumacher was named the CCIW's Player of the Week Nov. 18. Schumacher reeled in his first league accolade following a week in which he led the Titans to a 2-1 start to the season. The Bloomington, Ill. native averaged a team-best 21.7 points per game over the three-game stretch, while shooting 69.7 percent from the floor and an astounding 76.9 percent from distance.
STEPPING IN AND STEPPING UP: The biggest question surrounding Illinois Wesleyan entering the season was its ability to replace the production of Brady Rose, Collin Bonnett, and Jason Gregoire. Rose, Bonnett, and Gregoire combined to average around 43 points per game while shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 44.9 percent beyond the three-point line.
Through three games this season, the guard trio of Keondre Schumacher, Grant Wolfe, and Peter Lambesis have proved more than capable. Together, the trio has combined for 52 points per contest and have converted 58.9 of its shots from the floor and 61.8 percent of its three-point attempts.
TITAN COACHES SHOW IS BACK!: Fans can catch Illinois Wesleyan Head Basketball Coaches Ron Rose and Mia Smith on the weekly Titan Coaches Show every Thursday night at 7 p.m. hosted by Legends Sports Bar and Grill located at 712 S. Eldorado Rd. in Bloomington. Those unable to attend the weekly talk can listen in on 98.3 FM WEXG.
BAIR'S BOARDS: Junior Charlie Bair has owned the glass this season, pulling down 10.5 rebounds per game. Bair ranks second in the conference and 72nd nationally in rebounding average, while his 6.0 offensive boards per contest are seventh-most nationally and lead the CCIW. Additionally, Bair is one of three players in the conference with a double-double this season.
BUCKETS OFF THE BENCH: The Titans have benefited from steady production from their bench through their first three games of the season. IWU has averaged 19 bench points per game so far this season, roughly 21 percent of the teams scoring this season.
Freshman Luke Yoder has led the bench scoring at 6.0 points per game, with Corey Noe following closely at 5.3 points a contest.
SCOUTING REPORT - CHICAGO: The Maroons posted a 15-10 record in 2018-19, including an 8-3 mark at home. This season, the Maroons are 1-1 and without one of the best perimeter shooters the program has ever had in Noah Karras.
Jordan Baum, the team's leading scorer at 12.1 points per game last season, is back for his senior season. Through two games, Baum is averaging eight points and an impressive eight assists per contest. Cole Schmitz and Dominic Laravie have led UC in scoring at 20 and 16 points per game, respectively. Baum, Schmitz, and Bryce Hopkins lead Chicago with 5.5 rebounds per contest.
As a team, UC is shooting 54.3 percent from the floor and averaging 87 points per night. Defensively though, Chicago has allowed opponents to shoot 53.6 percent and 45.7 percent from three-point range.
ALL-TIME AGAINST CHICAGO: Illinois Wesleyan and Chicago have battled on the hardwood 27 times dating back to the 1991 season. IWU holds a 19-8 lead in the all-time series and has won the last three meetings.
Most recently, the Titans bested the Maroons 81-73, Nov. 11, 2018 inside the Shirk Center. Collin Bonnett led IWU with 19 points, while Brady Rose and Jason Gregoire added 15 and 12 points, respectively. Charlie Bair grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and fell just shy of a double-double with nine points.
NOBODY HAS MORE: The Titans success on the court has been matched by their efforts in the classroom. IWU has seen 24 student-athletes named Academic All-Americans, the most of any school across all NCAA divisions.
YEAR 111: Illinois Wesleyan has compiled a 1666-910 record in its 110-year history, good for a .647 winning percentage. Additionally, the Titans 1666 wins are the fourth-most all-time in NCAA Division III. Meanwhile, IWU's 740 CCIW wins are by-far-and-above the most in the league. In fact, the Titans have 118 more conference wins than any other school in the CCIW.
BY THE NUMBERS: IWU has seen plenty of success on the hardwood in its storied history, highlighted by the Titans' NCAA National Championship in 1997. Overall, IWU has won 30 CCIW championships, made 25 tournament appearances, advanced to 17 "Sweet Sixteens", appeared in 11 "Elite Eights", and gone to six final fours.
ROAD RECORD: Illinois Wesleyan owns a 75-48 away from the Shirk Center over the past 10 seasons, good for a .610 win percentage on the road over that span.
ON THE HORIZON: IWU returns to the Chicagoland area this weekend to square off against Lake Forest College Saturday, Nov. 23. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
