BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The eighth ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team flew past Elmhurst University in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Semifinals in a 75-65 victory inside the Shirk Center Tuesday night, March 9. The Titans improved their record to 7-1 and advanced the title game for the second consecutive season. Meanwhile, the Bluejays ended their season 7-3

IWU was led by sophomore Luke Yoder (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic), who finished with a game-high 23 points, shooting 4-of-7 from deep. Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) recorded his fourth double-double this season with 10 points and 15 rebounds. Senior Doug Wallen (Champaign, Ill.-Champaign Central) added 15 points off the bench. On the defensive end, Peter Lambesis (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-St. Viator HS) finished with five steals, which ties for sixth-most in school history in a single game. 

Leritz, Lambesis, Yoder, and Charlie Bair (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard South) dished out three assists each. 

As a team, the Titans shot 43.1 percent (28-of-65) from the floor and 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from three. Elmhurst shot 40.3 percent (25-of-62) from the floor, but went cold from beyond the arc, shooting 4-of-23 (17.4 percent). 

IWU converted 23 points from turnovers, compared to the Bluejays 12. The Titan bench came in clutch scoring 23 points, while the Bluejays bench recorded 11 points. 

The Titans and Bluejays traded buckets for the majority of the first half, but an IWU timeout with eight minutes left jump started a Titan run. At the timeout, the Green and White trailed by five points, 23-18, but gained the lead following a Leritz hook shot with 4:50 left in the half. The Titans ended the half on a 24-9 run and led 42-32 at the break. 

In the second half, the Titans offense rolled on. A dunk by Charlie Bair with 17:20 left in the game to put IWU ahead by 15 points prompted an Elmhurst timeout. The Titans extended their lead to as many as 23 before the Bluejays pursued a comeback. 

Elmhurst cut the Titan lead to eight with 45 seconds remaining, but clutch free throw shooting down the stretch never allowed the Bluejays to pull closer. 

IWU will travel to Wheaton College for the CCIW championship game on Friday, March 12 where the Titans will face the no. 1 seed Thunder. Tip off is set for 7 p.m.