BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team will recognize a pair of former IWU athletic standouts Saturday, Jan. 14, when the Titans host Augustana College in College Conference of Illinois Wesleyan play. IWU will recognize former football standout Lon Erickson pregame, and then honor former men's golfer Rob Wuethrich at halftime. Tipoff is set for 4:15 p.m.
The Titans enter the weekend with a 7-6 overall record, including a 4-2 total in conference action. IWU held off Millikin University, 73-68, inside the Shirk Center Wednesday, Jan 11, to keep pace in the league standings. Illinois Wesleyan sits one game outside of first-place in the CCIW race, behind Carthage College and Wheaton College. Meanwhile, Augie has seen a tumultuous ride through its first 15 games. The Vikings are 4-11 on the year, 2-4 in the CCIW, but head into Saturday after a, 91-59, blowout win over Carroll University, Jan. 8.
Fans can tune into the game via live stats, live stream, or radio broadcast. Links on how to follow along can be found on the men's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.
TWO ALL-TIME GREAT TITANS: Illinois Wesleyan will take time to honor Lon Erickson and Rob Wuethrich during Saturday's game against Augustana.
Erickson, a three-year starting quarterback for the Titans in the mid-1990's, was the recipient of the 1996 Gagliardi Trophy as Division III's most outstanding player. He set countless school records and was a three-time All-CCIW selection. Erickson was voted the 1996 CCIW MVP and earned First Team Academic All-American status.
Wuethrich, who just wrapped up a sensational collegiate career in 2021, is one of the most decorated players in program history. In addition to leading IWU to back-to-back Division III National Championships, Wuethrich was named the Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year (2020), the Phil Mickelson National Freshman of the Year (2018), a two-time Academic All-America selection, and was a two-time member of the GCAA All-Nicklaus Team. He holds numerous program records, including career wins (9), which is also a CCIW record.
DON'T HOLD IT AGAINST HIM: Illinois Wesleyan Athletic Director Mike Wagner, a 1992 Augie graduate, played football for the Vikings for four seasons. A Honorable Mention All-American by Dan Hansen's Football Gazette, Wagner was an All-CCIW linebacker for the Vikings. He led Augie to three NCAA Division III Playoff appearances during his playing career.
AGAINST AUGIE ALL-TIME: Illinois Wesleyan and Augustana will square off on the hardwood for the 176th time Saturday, in a series that dates back to the 1914-15 season. IWU leads the all-time tally, 98-77. Augie has won 11 of the last 16 meetings, but the Titans have come out victorious in four of the last five.
Illinois Wesleyan prevailed in a shootout against Augie, 83-78, in Bloomington, Jan. 15, 2022. Matthew Leritz went for 26 points, aided by four three-pointers, while three others also finished in double figures. The Titans finished off the sweep with a 70-64 triumph in Rock Island, Feb. 19. Four players hit double digits in points, led by Cory Noe's 15. Cody Mitchell was one of three with 12 points, while he narrowly missed the double-double with nine rebounds.
BALANCED BOX SCORE: Illinois Wesleyan has been at its best when the scoring has been balanced this season. In fact, IWU is 7-3 when three-or-more players score 10+ points, while the Titans are 0-3 when fewer than three players hit double figures.
#23 IN 2023: Illinois Wesleyan has seen senior Cody Mitchell heat up inside the arc since the calendar turned to 2023. In fact, Mitchell is 15-for-26 inside the arc since Jan. 3, good for a two-point field goal percentage of 57.7 percent. The senior co-captain is averaging 14.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 1.0 steal per contest over the three-game span.
Furthermore, Mitchell is shooting 62.1 percent (36-of-58) from two-point range in conference play compared to 20-for-47 (42.6 percent) in non-CCIW games.
NO NEED FOR WINDEX: Illinois Wesleyan has been dominant on the glass this season, out-rebounding its opponents 521 to 421. The strong effort on the glass has IWU holding a +7.6 rebounding margin on the season, the 32nd-best in all of Division III. Senior Cody Mitchell leads the Green and White with 8.9 boards per contest. Ryan Sroka and Hakim Williams' 4.6 rebounds per game are good for second-best on the team. Harrison Wilmsen checks in with 4.5 and Marko Anderson pulls in 4.3. Nick Roper averaged 4.0 per game before injury., Evan Schneider tallies 3.2 rebounds per outing, and Lucas Heflen adds 2.9 per game.
HOME SWEET HOME: The Titans remain at home this Saturday to enjoy one of the greatest athletic venues in NCAA Division III. The Shirk Center has been home to more than 650 Titan basketball games between both the men and women. The men hold a 296-62 record on their home floor, good for a .827 win percentage.
ON THE HORIZON: The Titans wrap up a three-game homestand Wednesday, Jan. 18, against North Park University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Shirk Center.
