BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The final week of the regular season takes the Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team to the Windy City for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin battle with North Park University. The game is set for a 7 p.m. tipoff inside NPU's Gymnasium and will mark the final stop on IWU's three-game roadtrip.
    Illinois Wesleyan finds itself in the thick of the fight for seeding in next week's CCIW Tournament. At 12-11 on the season and 7-7 in the CCIW, the Titans are currently tied for fourth with Elmhurst University with two games to go. The Green and White enter the week off a heartbreaking, 85-78, overtime loss at North Central College, Feb. 11. Meanwhile, North Park is amid one of the best turnarounds in the country. After winning just 10 games last season, the Vikings already have eight more wins than a season ago under first-year head coach Sean Smith. NPU sits at 18-5 overall and 11-3 in the conference, one game behind league-leading and seventh-ranked Wheaton College. The Vikings won a wild 93-90 double-overtime game at Elmhurst, Feb. 11, that saw a two-hour delay due to a shattered backboard.
    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.

DUELS WITH THE VIKINGS: In a series dating back to the 1961-62 season, the Titans hold a 91-35 advantage over the Vikings. IWU has won 10 of the past 12 matchups, but NPU came out on top in the first meeting this season. The Vikings used 13 three-pointers to sink the Titans, 74-70, inside the Shirk Center, Jan. 18.

NIGHTMARE ON KEDZIE: North Park Gymnasium is known as one of the more difficult venues in the CCIW. On the road at the venue in the last 10 seasons, the Titans hold a slim 7-4 advantage over the Vikings. Seven of those 10 games were decided by 10 points-or-less and four of the 10 games were decided by two points-or-less.
    Specifically in the past five seasons, the Titans have gone 4-2 on NPU's home court. Subtracting a 48-point blowout in the 2018-19 season, the Titans other three victories have come courtesy of a five-point win last season, a two-point overtime thriller in the 2019-20 season, and a one-point victory in the 2017-18 season.

NO NEED FOR WINDEX: Illinois Wesleyan has been dominant on the glass this season, out-rebounding its opponents 905 to 734. The strong effort on the glass has IWU holding a +7.4 rebounding margin on the season, the 29th-best in all of Division III. Senior Cody Mitchell leads the Green and White with 9.6 boards per contest. Ryan Sroka is second on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game.

MONSTER ON THE BOARDS: Illinois Wesleyan senior Cody Mitchell popped off for 24 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in a rout of Carroll, Feb. 4. Mitchell, who picked up his ninth double-double of the season, is ranked first in the CCIW and 42nd nationally in offensive rebounds per game (3.30). He is also third in the league in rebounds per game with an average of 9.6 for the season, while his 220 total boards are third-most (40th-most nationally).

MAKING THEM WORK: Illinois Wesleyan has one of the top-ranked defenses in the CCIW this season. In fact, IWU is holding opponents to a 40.9 field goal percentage, which is not only second in the conference, but is also 77th nationally. Furthermore, the Titans are giving up just 68.6 points per game, the second-best scoring defense in the conference (94th nationally).

BALANCED BOX SCORE: Illinois Wesleyan has been at its best when the scoring has been balanced this season. In fact, IWU is 11-7 when three-or-more players score 10+ points, while the Titans are 1-4 when fewer than three players hit double figures.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE: In his final year as a Titan, senior Lucas Heflen is going out with a bang. After starting the season shaky from beyond the arc, #3 has found his rhythm as of late, averaging 18.9 points over the past seven games. Heflen started to heat up during the Titan's Oregon swing, hitting a combined 10 threes in two wins. Over the past seven games, Heflen has hit 27-of-58 triples, good for a 46.6 percent clip from deep.

#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 59-for-104 inside the arc since Jan. 3, good for a two-point field goal percentage of 56.7 percent. The senior co-captain is averaging 14.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest over the 13-game span. He is second on the team in scoring over that run, while he tops the team's rebounding efforts.
Furthermore, Mitchell is shooting 59.2 percent (74-of-125) from two-point range in conference play compared to 26-for-58 (44.8 percent) in non-CCIW games.

IMPACT DOESN'T ALWAYS SHOW IN THE BOX SCORE: Illinois Wesleyan junior forward Evan Schneider has served in a variety of roles for the Titans this season. From starter, to first big off the bench, he has produced quality minutes for the Green and White. Schneider locked down Preseason All-American Daniel Carr in IWU's win over Augie, Jan. 14, holding Carr to nearly a quarter of his season scoring average. Carr, who entered the game averaging 17.5 points per game, scored just five points against the Titans.
    Additionally, Illinois Wesleyan holds a 6-0 record when Schneider corrals five-or-more rebounds.

ON THE HORIZON: The Titans close out the regular season at home Saturday, Feb. 18, with a Senior Day showdown against Carthage College inside the Shirk Center. The game, which will follow IWU women's basketball's bout with the Firebirds, will tipoff at 7:15 p.m. The Green and White will celebrate the careers of seniors Lucas Heflen and Cody Mitchell pregame.