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MBB | IWU at Wheaton
Kodiak Creative
89
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 15-2,8-1 CCIW
72
Carthage CARTH 8-9,1-7 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
15-2,8-1 CCIW
89
Final
72
Carthage CARTH
8-9,1-7 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 37 52 89
Carthage CARTH 36 36 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Five Double-Digit Scorers Fuel Men’s Hoops Past Firebirds

Leritz ties career-high with 28 points, Mitchell goes for 12 points and seven rebounds

KENOSHA, Wis. - The second-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team ran away with an 89-72 victory over Carthage College at Tarble Arena Monday night, Jan. 24. Returning to Wisconsin for their second game in three days, the Titans never relinquished a halftime lead as IWU moved to 15-2 overall and 8-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. The Firebirds fell to 8-9 on the year and 1-7 in conference play.

All five Illinois Wesleyan starters reached double figures in the win, led by senior Matthew Leritz's (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) career-high tying 28 points. Senior Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour) scored 15 points, while junior Cody Mitchell (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) flirted with a double-double with 12 points and a game-high seven rebounds. Junior Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) tallied 11 points, and senior Peter Lambesis (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-St. Viator) added 10 points and three steals.

The Green and White were efficient from the floor, shooting 50.8 percent from the game. IWU hit nine three-pointers on 24 tries (37.5), with Leritz and Noe hitting three each. Carthage was limited to 26-for-66 from the field, and hit 10-fo37 three-point attempts. The Firebirds finished 10-for-12 at the charity stripe, where the Titans went 18-for-23.

Led by Mitchell, Illinois Wesleyan edged Carthage in rebounds, 38-35. The Green and White forced 13 turnovers, aided by six steals, while committing just seven miscues itself. The Firebirds turnovers led to 23 points for the Titans, while Carthage held the advantage in second chance points (17-7) and bench points (38-13). IWU outscored CC 30-28 in the paint and 9-6 in transition.

Illinois Wesleyan saw an early lead flipped to an 11-point deficit, 27-16, with 7:57 remaining in the first half. 

Six free throws by Mitchell and a layup from freshman Harrison Wilmsen (St. Louis, Mo.-Priory) cut the deficit to five, 29-24, in just over a minute's time. 

Carthage maintained its five-point lead until sophomore Ryan Sroka's (Lake in the Hills, Ill.-Huntley) free throw with 2:53 left in the period. Leritz followed with a layup moments later, before the senior forward drilled a three-pointer on a kickback from junior Lucas Heflen (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North). The three-ball from Leritz put IWU ahead 37-36 at the break, and marked the Titans first lead since the 12:22 mark.

A triple by Noe kicked off play in the second half, but the Firebirds quickly responded to knot the score at 40. 

Lambesis joined the three-point party with a trey from the wing on a pass out from Leritz with 15:47 to propel the Green and White ahead, 49-45. Sroka followed the play with a layup, and a Lambesis and one increased the advantage to nine, 54-45, with 14 minutes to go. The momentum-shifting play by the lefty brought about a Carthage timeout.

The regrouping session did little to slow the Titans as three-pointers by Leritz and Yoder put the game out of reach, 67-52. IWU closed things out from there, as Heflen wrapped up the scoring on a triple off a sophomore Connor Heaton (Moweaqua, Ill.-Central A&M) assist.

Illinois Wesleyan closes out its four-game roadtrip Wednesday night, Jan. 26, at R.A. Faganel Hall. IWU is slated to take on Elmhurst University in a 7 p.m. tipoff.


 
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