Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
MBB | IWU vs Hope
Kodiak Creative
81
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 5-0
72
Calvin CALVIN 2-1
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
5-0
81
Final
72
Calvin CALVIN
2-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 31 50 81
Calvin CALVIN 29 43 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Post Play Powers Men’s Basketball Past Calvin

Leritz ties career-high with 28 points, Mitchell adds 15

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The fourth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team moved to 5-0 on the season with an 81-72 win at Calvin University Saturday afternoon, Nov. 20. The Titans utilized a 38-23 rebounding advantage and strong play from their bigs to hand the Knights (2-1) their first loss of the season.

Senior Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) led IWU with his third double-double of the season, as he went for 28 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. He went 12-for-19 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and added a pair of assists. Junior Cody Mitchell (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) added 15 points, eight rebounds, and a team-high five assists, while junior Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) and senior Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour) chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Illinois Wesleyan dominated the glass, 38-23, including 13 offensive rebounds that the Titans turned into 14 points. IWU also owned the paint, outscoring CU 38-20 inside.

The Green and White hit 53.4 percent of its shots, going 31-of-58 from the floor and 8-of-20 (40 percent) from three-point range. The Knights finished 27-for-53 from the field (50.9 percent) and 8-for-23 from distance (34.8 percent). Neither team shot particularly well from the charity stripe, as IWU went 11-for-17 and Calvin went 10-for-15. 

Illinois Wesleyan scored the first three buckets of the game, but Calvin cashed in on back-to-back possessions to cut the Titan lead to two, 6-4. 

Freshman Nick Roper (Creve Coeur, Mo.-MICDS) hit a jumper, Leritz drilled a three on a kickback from Noe, and junior Lucas Helfen (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) sank a runner to push IWU ahead, 13-4. Noe added a triple of his own with 10:08 to go in the first half to extend Illinois Wesleyan's lead to 17-4 as Calvin called a timeout.

The Knights chipped away at the Titans' advantage, eventually using a pair of three-pointers to pull within six, 17-11, at the 8:35 mark.

IWU responded with a triple of its own, as Yoder drove baseline and found sophomore Connor Heaton (Moweaqua, Ill.-Central A&M) for a wide open three from the wing. 

The Titans led by six, 20-14, out of a timeout with 6:33 to play but the Knights used an 8-2 run to close the gap, 31-29, at halftime.

Calvin scored the second period's first four points to take its first lead of the day, 33-31, just over a minute in. 

After a free throw from Leritz, Mitchell knocked down a jumper and a three to put the Green and White back in front, 37-33. Mitchell's 5-0 run came over the span of 20 seconds and proved to be the first five points of a 9-0 IWU run as the Titan lead grew to eight.

The Knights clawed back within three on a triple with just under 11 minutes to go, but Leritz sank a layup in traffic to give IWU a 56-51 advantage one minute later.

The Green and White saw its lead reach double digits on a three-ball by Leritz with 6:38 to play.

Calvin kept things interesting late, but ultimately had no answers for Leritz and Mitchell down the stretch, as the big-men powered the Titans to an 81-72 win. 

Illinois Wesleyan will enjoy an extended break from action, with the Titans next game set for Wednesday night, Dec. 1, against the University of Chicago. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Shirk Center and will serve as the second leg of a doubleheader with the IWU women's basketball team.
 
Print Friendly Version