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MBB | Illinois Wesleyan vs North Central (CCIW Tournament)
Kodiak Creative
81
Winner North Central (IL) NCC 16-9,10-6 CCIW
74
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 21-5,14-2 CCIW
Winner
North Central (IL) NCC
16-9,10-6 CCIW
81
Final
74
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
21-5,14-2 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
North Central (IL) NCC 34 47 81
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 28 46 74

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men's Hoops Falls in CCIW Tournament Semis

Fifth-ranked Titans drop to 21-5 on the year, await postseason fate

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The fifth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team suffered an 81-74 defeat to fourth-seeded North Central College Friday night, Feb. 25, in the semifinal round of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament at the Shirk Center. The top-seeded Titans saw their win streak halted at six as their record went to 21-5 (14-2 CCIW) on the season, while the Cardinals (17-9, 10-6 CCIW) advanced to tomorrow's title game against third-seeded Elmhurst University.

Illinois Wesleyan was led in scoring by senior Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour), who finished with 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting. Fellow senior Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) picked up his 10th double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while also handing out a team-high four assists. Juniors Cody Mitchell (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) and Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) scored 15 points apiece. 

North Central, which was led by 30 points from Matt Helwig, finished 28-for-53 from the field and 9-of-24 from beyond the arc. Illinois Wesleyan went 27-for-57 from the floor, 9-of-28 from three, and 11-for-14 at the charity stripe. NCC held leads in points off turnovers (16-7) and bench points (26-3), while both teams finished with 28 points in the paint. The Titans, who held a 32-30 edge in rebounds, scored four second chance points to the Cardinals' zero.

The Green and White scored the game's first seven points before a three-pointer by sophomore Ryan Sroka (Lake in the Hills, Ill.-Huntley) pushed the Titans ahead by nine, 17-8, with 12:09 left in the first half. 

North Central responded with a barrage of three-pointers, while Illinois Wesleyan went nearly seven minutes without a bucket as the Cardinals took control. 

With IWU trailing 26-17,Yoder came through with back-to-back and-ones to pull the Titans within six with about five minutes to play in the half. 

Mitchell buried a three on a kickback from Leritz to trim the deficit to three, as Illinois Wesleyan went into the break down, 31-28.

The Titans got a quick bucket to begin the second period, but the Cardinals stretched their advantage to as many as 14 before IWU mounted its comeback.

Three-pointers by Yoder, Noe, and Mitchell pulled Illinois Wesleyan as close as five late, but NCC sealed the game at the free throw line to thwart IWU's tournament title hopes.

The Titans now await Monday's NCAA Division III selection show. The full tournament bracket will be unveiled Monday, Feb. 28, at 12:30 p.m. ET.
 
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