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Hakim Williams
Kodiak Creative
71
Winner Mary Hardin-Baylor UMHB 2-0,0-0 ASC
68
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1-1,0-0 CCIW
Winner
Mary Hardin-Baylor UMHB
2-0,0-0 ASC
71
Final
68
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
1-1,0-0 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Mary Hardin-Baylor UMHB 43 28 71
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 33 35 68

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Titans Narrowly Fall to No. 15 Mary Hardin-Baylor in Sikma Championship

Hakim Williams named to all-tournament team

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A last second shot was waved off as the Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team's comeback fell short, 71-68, against 15th-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in the Sikma Hall of Fame Invitational Championship game Saturday night, Nov. 11, inside the Shirk Center. 

Senior Ryan Sroka (Lake in the Hills, Ill.-Huntley) led the Titan's offensive effort with 13 points. Junior Hakim Williams (Round Lake, Ill.-Round Lake) stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, six boards, and a team high four assists, while Marko Anderson (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) recorded a 10 point, 11 rebound double-double, the first of his career. 

The Titans bested the Crusaders in bench points 34-17 and points in the paint, 28-12. The Green and White were unable to capitalize on their 23 free throw opportunities, making just 12 of them. On the other hand, Mary Hardin-Baylor converted 6-of-9 free throw attempts. 

Junior Hakim Williams was the sole Titan named to the Sikma Hall of Fame Invitational All-Tournament Team. 

Illinois Wesleyan erased a double-digit halftime deficit with a strong second half as a three-pointer by Sroka started a Titan rally. Back-to-back triples from Trey Bazzell (Fairbury, Ill.-Prairie Central) cut the lead to six, before Yoder hit a tough layup. The veteran point guard then threaded a pass to senior Evan Schneider (St. Louis, Mo.-Ladue) to pull IWU within two, 48-46, with 13 minutes left in the second period. 

After clutch free throws from Anderson, the big-man found Bazzell for a three-pointer to make it a one-point game, 60-59. senior Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) drew a charge on the ensuing Cru possession, but a 7-2 UMHB run had the visitors in front, 67-61, with three minutes to play.

Trailing by six with under a minute to play, Williams drilled a corner three-pointer in front of the IWU with 34.1 seconds on the clock. The big bucket cut the Mary Hardin-Baylor lead in half, 71-68.

Illinois Wesleyan managed to get a few stops as missed free throws by the Cru gave the Green and White a chance. With less than a second to play, IWU gained possession on the baseline but did not have enough time to get off the three-point attempt before the buzzer sounded on a 71-68 defeat.

Illinois Wesleyan will be back in action next Friday, Nov. 17 as they travel to Springfield, Ohio to take on Wittenberg University in the Great Lakes Invitational. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. 

 
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