BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - In a top-10 match-up at the Shirk Center Saturday, Feb 6, the No. 4 ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team defeated the No. 9 North Central College Cardinals 91-77. The Titans climb to 2-0 on the season while the Cardinals fall to 3-2.
 
A balanced offensive effort for the Titans saw five players score in double-digits. Keondre Schumacher (Bloomington, Ill.-University High) led all scorers with 23 points, including 7-of-8 from deep which ties him for eighth all-time in school history in made threes in a single game. Sophomore Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) contributed 14 points and junior Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis Univ. HS) had 13 points. Both Yoder and Leritz led the team with four assists each. Senior Doug Wallen (Champaign, Ill.-Champaign Central) and junior Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour) added 10 points apiece. 
 
Leriz and senior Charlie Bair (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard South) tied a game-high nine rebounds.
 
For North Central, Mike Pollack and Will Clausel led the team with 18 points each. Matt Smietanski added 15 points and four assists. Blaise Meredith contributed 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
Despite a back and forth start to the game, the Titans used an 11-0 run in the middle of the first half to pull ahead. Shooting a blistering 10-of-15 from three (66.7%) in the first half, including a perfect 5-of-5 from Schumacher, IWU never looked back and maintained their lead throughout the entirety of the game. 
 
The Titans finished the game 33-of-66 (50%) from the floor 16-of-30 (53.3%) from three, which tied for ninth in school history for made threes in a single game. North Central was 28-of-50 (56%) from the field and 9-of-24 (37.5%) from deep. 
 
IWU out-rebounded the Cardinals 11-2 on the offensive glass, leading to 13 second chance points for the Titans. North Central did not have any second chance points. 
 
The Titans will travel to Rock Island, Ill. next Tuesday, Feb. 9 for a contest against Augustana College. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.