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MBB | IWU vs Hope
Kodiak Creative
67
Millikin MIL-U 8-7,3-3 CCIW
78
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 10-2,3-1 CCIW
Millikin MIL-U
8-7,3-3 CCIW
67
Final
78
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
10-2,3-1 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Millikin MIL-U 27 40 67
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 33 45 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Holds Off Millikin

Titans earn program win No. 1700

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A short-handed Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team held off Millikin University, 78-67, in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play Wednesday night, Jan. 12. With the win, the third-ranked Green and White (10-2, 3-1 CCIW) remain tied atop the conference standings, while the Big Blue's record slipped to 8-7 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Down two starters, a pair of top reserves, and Head Coach Ron Rose, the Titans were led to the program's 1700th win by long-time assistant coach Andy Etheridge. 

Senior Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) paced IWU with 20 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, while junior Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) added 18. 

Junior Lucas Heflen (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Also having a career day was freshman Nick Roper (Creve Coeur, Mo.-MICDS), who scored nine points on 4-for-5 shooting. Junior Cody Mitchell (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, tying Leritz for the team lead on the glass.

Illinois Wesleyan shot 47.4 percent from the floor, 38.1 percent from three, and 66.7 percent from the free throw line, compared to Millikin's line of 46.3 - 22.2 - 65.0. IWU hit eight three-pointers to MU's four, but the Big Blue earned a 36-31 edge in rebounding. 

The Titans held a 22-10 advantage in points off turnovers, as well as a slim 11-10 lead in bench points. The Big Blue outscored IWU in the paint narrowly, 34-32.

The first half featured big runs by both sides, as IWU opened up a 9-0 lead on a three-pointer from Leritz. The Big Blue found their way onto the board around the 17-minute mark, before IWU ran it's lead to 15 on the first three-pointer of Roper's IWU career midway through the period. 

Millikin responded with 17 straight points over a seven minute span to stake a 27-25 lead, but it was the Titans that pieced together the last run of the opening 20. After a free throw, a fast break triple from sophomore Ryan Sroka (Lake in the Hills, Ill.-Huntley) got the Green and White back on track. Leritz tacked on a layup and a pair of free throws to send Illinois Wesleyan into the break with a 33-27 advantage.

Heflen stepped up for the Titans in the second half, scoring 12 of his 15 points over a four-minute span. A floater by the St. Charles, Ill. native pushed IWU ahead by double digits, 52-42, with 11:48 to play.

Millikin responded with an and-one to pull back within seven, but buckets by Yoder and sophomore Grant Taueg (Indianapolis, Ind.-Cathedral) kept momentum from shifting to the Big Blue.

After MU trimmed the IWU advantage to five with 8:30 to go, Leritz drilled a three on a pick-and-pop on a pass from Roper to halt a 6-0 Big Blue run.

Free throws from Leritz and a heady reverse layup by Heflen gave the Titans a double-digit lead again with three minutes to go.

Millikin continued to battle, but Illinois Wesleyan closed out a 78-67 victory at the free throw line. 

Illinois Wesleyan remains at home Saturday, Jan. 15, as the Titans play host Augustana College. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will serve as the second leg of a doubleheader with the IWU women's basketball team.

 
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