BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A three-game homestand wraps up Wednesday night, Jan. 18, as the Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team plays host to North Park University inside the Shirk Center. Tipoff between the Titans and Vikings is slated for 7 p.m.
Illinois Wesleyan heads into the game with a little momentum, after a pair of wins last week. The Titans sit at 8-6 on the season and 5-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, one game out of first-place in the league. IWU most recently defeated Augustana College, 65-50, Jan. 14. North Park finds itself amid a strong season at 12-4 on the year, 5-2 in the CCIW. The Vikings most recently squeaked out a 61-58 win over Carroll University, Jan. 14.
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.
TOP-100 WATCH LIST: Senior co-captain Cody Mitchell was one of five CCIW players named to the Bevo Francis Top-100 Watch List Sunday, Jan. 15.
Mitchell, a co-captain for the Titans, is putting together a career year for the Green and White. He ranks second on the team with 13.8 points per game, while topping the squad with 8.8 rebounds per contest. His eight blocks are also a team-best. Mitchell has tallied five double-doubles this season.
DUELS WITH THE VIKINGS: In a series dating back to the 1961-62 season, the Titans hold a 91-34 advantage over the Vikings. IWU has won 10 of the past 11 matchups and holds a three-game win streak against NPU.
The Green and White swept last season's series. Illinois Wesleyan eeked out a 63-58 win at North Park, Jan. 19. Cory Noe led the way with 14 points, while Peter Lambesis, Cody Mitchell, and Matthew Leritz added 10 apiece as the Titans broke a halftime tie to earn their sixth CCIW win of the season. IWU later raced past the VIkings, 73-49. Ryan Sroka tallied 14 points off the bench.
THREE-BALL FALLS: In IWU's win over Augie, Jan. 14, the Titans connected on 11 three-pointers, the second-most by the team this season. Illinois Wesleyan saw Lucas Heflen hit six triples. Trey Bazzell knocked down three treys, with Cody Mitchell and Hakim Williams adding one each.
IWU is 47-7 when knocking down 10+ three-pointers since the start of the 2016-17 season.
BALANCED BOX SCORE: Illinois Wesleyan has been at its best when the scoring has been balanced this season. In fact, IWU is 8-3 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 20-for-35 inside the arc since Jan. 3, good for a two-point field goal percentage of 57.1 percent. The senior co-captain is averaging 13.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 0.8 steal per contest over the four-game span.
Furthermore, Mitchell is shooting 61.2 percent (41-of-67) 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 561 to 455. The strong effort on the glass has IWU holding a +7.5 rebounding margin on the season, the 29th-best in all of Division III. Senior Cody Mitchell leads the Green and White with 8.8 boards per contest. Ryan Sroka adds 4.9 and Hakim Williams' 4.5 rebounds per game are good for third-best on the team. Harrison Wilmsen checks in with 4.2 and Nick Roper averaged 4.0 per game before injury. Marko Anderson pulls in 3.9, with Evan Schneider tallying 3.5 rebounds per outing, and Lucas Heflen going for 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 297-62 record on their home floor, good for a .827 win percentage.
ON THE HORIZON: The Titans embark on a four-game road trip following Wednesday night's game, which will see IWU play three games in four days. Illinois Wesleyan heads to Wheaton, Jan. 21, for a 7:15 p.m. rematch with the Thunder. The Titans then fly out to the Pacific Northwest for games at Linfield and George Fox.
