NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team ran out of steam in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Championship Saturday night, Feb. 29. IWU tied the game with five minutes to play, but could not overcome Elmhurst College, falling by a final score of 78-72. The Titans finish the season with a 19-9 overall record, while the Bluejays improved to 23-5 on the year.

Junior Doug Wallen (Champaign, Ill.-Champaign Central) led the Titans with 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Sophomore Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) added a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double, while sophomore Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour) and Peter Lambesis (Mount Prospect, Ill.-St. Viator) chipped in 16 and 12 points, respectively. 

The Bluejays led by nine with 10 minutes to play before the Titans used a 16-7 run to even the score at 64-all on a Wallen layup. The junior forward completed a three-point play at the free throw line to give IWU a 65-64 edge, but EC used an 8-0 run to take control, 72-65, with 2:27 to go.

Illinois Wesleyan pulled within three around the one minute mark, but Elmhurst made free throws down the stretch to close out the game and hand the Titans a six-point setback.