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Matthew Leritz vs. Wheaton
Kodiak Creative
62
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 7-1,1-1 CCIW
67
Winner Wheaton (IL) WHEIL 9-1,3-1 CCIW
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
7-1,1-1 CCIW
62
Final
67
Wheaton (IL) WHEIL
9-1,3-1 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 36 26 62
Wheaton (IL) WHEIL 28 39 67

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Topped by No. 8 Wheaton

Leritz posts 21-point, 14-rebound double-double

WHEATON, Ill. - The No. 3 Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team saw a double-digit lead slip away at No. 8 Wheaton College Saturday night, Dec. 11. The Titans (7-1, 1-1 CCIW) led by as many as 13, but were plagued by foul trouble as the Thunder (9-1, 3-1 CCIW) used a strong finish to top IWU, 67-62, inside King Arena. 

Senior Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) led the Titans with a 21-point, 14-rebound double-double, while he also notched a team-high four assists. Senior Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour) and Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) contributed 12 points each. Senior Peter Lambesis (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect) added 10 points and three steals.

The Green and White shot 40 percent from the floor (24-for-60), while the Thunder finished 20-for-57 (35.1 percent). IWU went 3-for-18 from three-point distance. Wheaton converted 6-of-28 three-point tries. The big difference came at the free throw line, where WC went 21-for-26, while IWU finished 11-for-15.

The Thunder held a 41-36 lead in rebounds, while the Titans owned a 5-3 edge in steals. 

A three-pointer by Leritz pushed the Titans ahead 5-2 just over a minute into the contest, but the Thunder stormed right back to reclaim a 7-5 lead. 

Using its balance, IWU regained control with an 8-2 run. Buckets by Lambesis, Noe, junior Cody Mitchell (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East), and Leritz pushed the Green and White to a 13-9 advantage with 13:51 remaining in the half. 

After Wheaton clawed back within one, Noe knocked down a triple and Lambesis followed with a layup. Noe then slipped a pass to Yoder in transition to give Illinois Wesleyan a 22-14 lead with just over eight minutes remaining as the Thunder called a timeout. 

IWU extended its lead to as many as 13 before the break, but WC scored five straight points over the final minute to trim the Titans' edge to 36-28 at halftime.

Illinois Wesleyan saw what was once a double-digit lead erased as Wheaton evened the score of 46 all on a three-pointer with 10:04 to go.

Leritz provided the response, converting an and-one before junior Lucas Heflen (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) banked a drive in off the backboard to push IWU ahead 51-48 with nine minutes left.

With fouls piling up for the Titans, the Thunder became more aggressive on the offensive end. Drawing a couple of trips to the free throw line as a result, the Thunder knocked down 3-of-4 freebies to take a 53-51 lead with 7:03 to play.

Illinois Wesleyan pulled within one on a three-pointer by Heflen with 6:48 to go, but Wheaton closed out the game at the free throw line. The Thunder went 18-for-22 at the line in the second half, including 8-for-10 in the final five minutes.

IWU looks to bounce back Wednesday night, Dec. 15, when the Titans travel to North Central College. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

 
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