BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team wraps up its pre-Thanksgiving roadtrip with a stop at Washington University in St. Louis Wednesday, Nov. 22. Tipoff between the Titans and Bears is scheduled for 3 p.m.
    Illinois Wesleyan sits even at 2-2 on the season after splitting games at the Great Lakes Invitational, Nov. 17-18. The Titans took down tournament host, Wittenberg University, 72-59, Nov. 17, before dropping a tight one to Marietta College, 67-63, Nov. 18. WashU is out to a 4-0 start to the year. The Bears most recently picked up a pair of wins as host of the Lopata Classic, Nov. 17-18. WashU outlasted Babson College in overtime, 90-85, Nov. 17, and then handled Hanover College, 77-62, Nov. 18.
    A live stream of the games will be provided, while Eric Stock and Joel Swanson will also call the action on 88.1 FM WESN as well as on the Titan Broadcast Network. Live stats will also be available. Links on how to follow are available through the men's basketball schedule page of iwusports.com.

YODER EARNS CCIW HONOR: Days after earning Great Lakes Invitational All-Tournament honors, Luke Yoder was recognized by the CCIW as the league's Player of the Week Monday, Nov. 20. It marked the first weekly conference award of Yoder's career. The veteran floor general averaged 20 points per game on a 52.0 shooting percentage, while tying for the team lead with 6.5 rebounds per game. He also dished out 3.5 assists per contest and swiped three steals. Yoder went for a career-high 28 points in a win over Witt.

NO SOUP FOR YOU!: The Titans have been elite defensively through the team's first four games of the season. Not only is Illinois Wesleyan one of the top defensive teams in the CCIW, IWU is among the top in Division III. IWU is holding opponents to a field goal percentage of 37.8 percent, the best mark in the CCIW and the 39th-best nationally. Additionally, IWU is giving up just 63.0 points per game, good for 47th in Division III. The Green and White's stingy defense has also limited opponents to a three-point field goal percentage of 27.5, the best mark in the conference and the 78th-best in the country.

PAYING OFF: The 2022-23 season saw Hakim Williams thrust into point guard duties for the Titans, leaving Williams to play out of his usual position for most of last season. The time as IWU's point guard is paying off for Williams, who has the Green and White's best assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.80. His mark, which is second-best in the conference, ranks 83rd nationally. The Round Lake, Ill. native is averaging 3.5 assists per game with 14 dimes to his credit this season.

THE GREATEST NON-CONFERENCE RIVALRY IN D3HOOPS: Tuesday's tilt will serve as the 44th all-time meeting between Illinois Wesleyan and WashU in a series that first began in the 1933-34 season. Since winning the series' first game 33-32, IWU has built up a 23-20 lead in the all-time tally. The road team has won five of the past six meetings, dating back to Dec. 17, 2016.
    WashU outlasted IWU in the last three bouts, as the Bears bested IWU, 63-61, in the Shirk Center Jan. 3, 2023. The Titans led by one at halftime, but the Bears' hot second-half shooting saw IWU drop the game by two points. Ryan Sroka led the Titans with 18 points.

BEATING THE BEARS: The Titans are in search for their first win over WashU since Nov. 20, 2018, when they bested the Bears, 92-85, in St. Louis. Brady Rose led all scorers with 33 points, while Colin Bonnett and Doug Wallen added 12 and 10 points, respectively.

COMING HOME: Tuesday will serve as a homecoming of sorts for senior Evan Schneider (Ladue), juniors Nick Roper (MICDS) and Harrison Wilmsen (Priory), and freshman Brady Kuehl (Parkway West) who came to IWU from the St. Louis area.

ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan returns home after Thanksgiving for a Saturday night showdown with University of Chicago, Nov. 25. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.