BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team looks to rebound from a loss in its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener when it hosts Carthage College Saturday evening, Dec. 7. Tipoff between the Titans and Red Men is slated for 7 p.m. and will serve as the night cap of a doubleheader with the IWU women's basketball team, who will face Carthage at 5 p.m.
IWU is 5-2 on the season and in search of its first conference win of the year following a 76-60 setback against Wheaton, Dec. 4. Meanwhile, Carthage enters the contest at 6-0 on the year and 1-0 in league play after an 83-81 win over No. 19 North Central, Dec. 4.
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.
STREAK SNAPPED: Three players scored nine points apiece to lead Illinois Wesleyan in scoring against Wheaton, Dec. 4. It marked IWU's first game without a player in double digits since Nov. 18, 2001 when the Titans were topped by Ripon, 73-51, in Wisconsin. Illinois Wesleyan had at least one player in double figures for 506 straight games prior to Wednesday's loss.??????
RARE AIR: Based on research by Bob Quillman, Luke Yoder became the first freshman point guard to start a CCIW opener since 2008 against Wheaton, Dec. 4. The Normal, Ill. native is just the fourth freshman point guard to do so since 1997, joining Travis Rosenkranz (2008), Adam Dauksas (2003), and Korey Coon (1997).
CLASHING WITH CARTHAGE: Illinois Wesleyan and Carthage share a rivalry that dates back to the 1946-47 season. IWU owns a 102-27 lead in the 129-game history between the two conference foes, and has won the past three meetings. Additionally, the Titans hold a 23-7 record against the Red Men under the guidance of Ron Rose.
SCOUTING REPORT - CARTHAGE: The Red Men are off to one of their best starts ever under at 6-0 overall and 1-0 in league play. Carthage has picked up wins over No. 2 UW-Oshkosh (64-57) and No. 19 North Central (83-81).
Jordon Kedrowski averages a team-best 18.8 points per contest, while Sean Johnson is turning in a double-double on average at 15.0 ppg and 10.7 rpg. Meanwhile, Kienan Baltimore, a Second Team All-CCIW selection a season ago, is adding 13.7 points per game and a team-best 4.7 assists per contest. Fillip Bulatovic is chipping in 11.2 points per game off the bench and ranks second on the team with 11 steals.
Overall, Carthage has been one of the most potent offensive teams in the country. The Red Men are shooting 57.3 percent from the floor, the best mark in the country, and have outscored opponents 562-455. CC has also notched a decisive advantage on the glass, where Carthage holds a +7.4 margin.
THE GAUNTLET: Arguably the best men's basketball conference in all of NCAA Division III, the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin is home to four top-25 teams, the most of any league. D3Hoops.com has Elmhurst ranked 17th, North Central 19th, Carthage 21st, and Augustana 24th. Meanwhile, IWU is receiving votes in the poll.
HEAT CHECK: Sophomore Keondre Schumacher has been a great addition to the Titans backcourt this season as IWU's leading scorer through seven games. Perhaps more impressive though is his efficiency. Schumacher is converting 55.3 percent of his three-pointers, the best mark in the conference. Nationally, the Bloomington native ranks 13th in three-point field goal percentage.
BAIR'S BOARDS: Junior Charlie Bair has owned the glass this season, pulling down 10.1 rebounds per game. Bair ranks second in the conference and 46th nationally in rebounding average, while his 4.43 offensive boards per contest are eighth-most nationally and lead the CCIW. Additionally, Bair is one of three players in the conference with multiple double-doubles this season.
YEAR 111: Illinois Wesleyan has compiled a 1669-911 record in its history, good for a .647 winning percentage. Additionally, the Titans 1669 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.
SHIRK'S 25TH BIRTHDAY: The 2019-20 season marks the 25th anniversary of the Shirk Center. One of the greatest athletic venues in NCAA Division III, the Shirk Center has been home to more than 600 Titan basketball games between both the men and women. The men hold a 268-54 record on their home floor, good for a .832 win percentage.
ON THE HORIZON: IWU will take an eight-day hiatus for finals week before returning to the court against Augustana College Sunday, Dec. 15. Tipoff between the Titans and Vikings is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Rock Island, Ill. and will serve as the second leg of a double feature with the IWU women's hoops team.
