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Cody Mitchell dribbling vs. UWSP
Kodiak Creative
64
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 2-2,0-0 CCIW
73
Winner Saint Joseph (CT) USJ 4-0,0-0 Great Northeast
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
2-2,0-0 CCIW
64
Final
73
Saint Joseph (CT) USJ
4-0,0-0 Great Northeast
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 22 35 7 64
Saint Joseph (CT) USJ 31 26 16 73

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Comeback Attempt Falls Short in OT to 13th-Ranked USJ

Mitchell records 22-point, 11-rebound double-double

ABERDEEN, S.D. - The 21st-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team erased a double-digit deficit, but ultimately fell in overtime to No. 13 University of Saint Joseph on day two of the Small College Basketball Champions Classic Saturday, Nov. 19. The Titans (2-2) ran out of steam in OT as the Bluejays (4-0) escaped victorious, 73-64.

The seniors led the way for the Titans, as Cody Mitchell (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) recorded his first double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Lucas Heflen (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. 

Both teams finished the game 22-for-59 from the floor, good for a clip of 37.3 percent, but it was USJ that held the upperhand beyond the arc and at the free throw line. IWU finished 5-for-21 from three (23.8 percent) and went just 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) at the charity stripe. Meanwhile, St. Joseph converted six three-pointers on 18 attempts (33.3 percent) and finished 23-for-30 at the free throw line.

Illinois Wesleyan, which finished with a 49-33 rebounding advantage, compiled a 16-10 lead in second chance points behind 17 offensive rebounds. IWU also led in points in the paint, 30-26. USJ held a 31-13 upperhand in points off turnovers, winning the turnover battle 24-14. The Bluejays also bested the Titans in bench points, 11-8.

The senior duo combined for 16 of IWU's 22 first-half points, as Mitchell tallied 10 points over the first 20 minutes and Heflen added six. USJ made the most of IWU's 13 first-half turnovers, as the Bluejays cashed in for 16 points en route to a 31-22 halftime advantage.

With the Bluejays on the verge of pushing their advantage back to double digits, a three-ball by Mitchell got the Titans rolling. The three, which came off a Heflen offensive rebound, was followed by a fastbreak bucket by sophomore Nick Roper (St. Louis, Mo.-MICDS) to trim the deficit to four, 35-31, with 16:49 to play.

Key buckets by Mitchell allowed the Green and White to keep pace with USJ before junior Ryan Sroka's (Lake in the Hills, Ill.-Huntley) jumper gave IWU a 43-41 edge. It marked Illinois Wesleyan's first lead of the day with 9:53 to play.

The Titans built up a five-point cushion as Sroka kicked to Heflen for a triple, putting IWU in front, 53-48, with just over three minutes to go in regulation. 

The Bluejays bounced back with seven unanswered points to stake a 55-53 lead, but Roper converted a layup to even the score at 55 all. A pair of free throws by both teams sent the game to an extra period knotted at 57.

The Green and White never led in the OT period, as 13th-ranked USJ escaped, 73-64.

Illinois Wesleyan enjoys a week-long break before returning to action at No. 3 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Saturday, Nov. 26. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Kolf Sports Center.

 
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