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Ron Rose talking with Keondre Schumacher
Nick Helten
56
North Park NPU 1-7,1-7 CCIW
81
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 3-0,3-0 CCIW
North Park NPU
1-7,1-7 CCIW
56
Final
81
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
3-0,3-0 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
North Park NPU 23 33 56
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 39 42 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Rose Rises on the All-Time Wins List as IWU Overpowers North Park

Leritz recorded a 22-point, 16-rebound double-double

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Ron Rose moved into second on the school's all-time wins list as the third-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team overpowered North Park University, 81-56, Friday night, Feb. 11, inside the Shirk Center. Rose earned career victory No. 265, surpassing IWU legend Jack Horenberger.

With the win, the Titans remained undefeated on the season and improved to 3-0, while North Park fell to 1-7. 

Junior Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) paved the way for the Titans with a 22-point, 16-rebound double-double, the third of his career. The returning First Team All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin pick also added three blocks, two steals, and an assist in a stat-stuffing performance. Senior Doug Wallen (Champaign, Ill.-Champaign Central) and junior Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour) also finished in double figures scoring, tallying 12 points each.

In all, 13 different Titans scored in the win, including the first points in the careers of freshman Connor Heaton (Mowequ, Ill.-Central A&M) and sophomores Cole Khoury (Columbia, Ill.-Columbia) and Tommy Nelson (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic). Heaton drained a triple in the closing minutes, while Khoury and Nelson each hit a layup.

Illinois Wesleyan finished the night 35-for-72 from the floor, 5-for-14 from distance, and 6-for-10 at the free throw line. North Park converted just 19-of-60 shot attempts, but knocked down 8-of-24 triples and 10-of-14 freebies. 

IWU held a 42-40 edge in rebounding and flipped 18 NPU turnovers into 24 points. The Titans also held advantages in second-chance points (16 to 11), bench points (39 to 31), fast break points (19 to 5), and dominated the paint by a 56-20 tally.

The Titans scored the first seven points of the game and never looked back, as the IWU lead quickly grew to double digits.

A swipe and score by senior Colin Cheaney (Batavia, Ill.-Batavia) put the Green and White up 18, 33-15, with about five minutes to go in the opening frame for Illinois Wesleyan's largest lead of the first half. 

The Vikings went on to trim the Titans lead to 13, but freshman Ryan Sroka (Lake in the Hills, Ill.-Huntley) fed Leritz for a layup to give IWU a 39-23 lead at the break. 

In the second half, Illinois Wesleyan continued to build its cushion, as a Leritz hook shot gave the Titans their largest lead of the game, 62-39, with nine minutes to play. 

From that point on, IWU withstood four NPU three-pointers in a three and a half minute span before coming away with the 81-56 victory. 

Illinois Wesleyan looks for its fourth straight win Tuesday, Feb. 16, when Millikin University pays a visit to the Shirk Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

 
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