BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Trailing by seven with 5:32 to play and down five with 2:48 left, the Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team outscored Elmhurst by an 11-3 total down the stretch to claim a 79-76 win on Seniors' Night at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Ill., on Saturday, Feb. 9.
 
Trailing by a 73-68 score at the 2:48 mark, IWU got 3-pointers from senior Jason Gregoire and sophomore Doug Wallen to get a 74-73 lead with 1:13 to go. After a Bluejay turnover, Wallen hit a bucket to stake IWU to a 76-73 lead, then made one of two free throws with 21 seconds remaining to put IWU on top, 77-73. A conventional three-point play by Elmhurst's Jake Rhode got the Bluejays within one at 77-76 but another defensive stop led to two Brady Rose free throws to seal the win as a late 3-point shot by Elmhurst went astray.

Wallen led the Titans with 18 points, six in the final stretch, while Gregoire scored 14, Rose netted 12 with seven assists and senior Colin Bonnett added 10 points. Sophomore Charlie Bair had a team-high seven rebounds while Gregoire and senior Danny Baker snared five rebounds each as the Titans outrebounded the Bluejays, 34-31.

The Titans saw a once 12-point lead at 36-24 with 3:24 to play in the first half evaporate. IWU took a 42-33 lead into halftime and Elmhurst chipped away to eventually get a 52-51 lead with 11:26 remaining. The seven-point lead with 5:32 left was the Bluejays' largest of the game.

Jeremy Ireland had a game-high 21 points and Derek Dotlich scored 20, burying six 3-pointers in eight tries.

What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan hosts North Park at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m.