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WAUKESHA, Wis. - Lucas Heflen (3) during a CCIW game against Carroll inside Van Male Fieldhouse on Saturday, December 3, 2022. (Photo by Kodiak Creative/Jimmy Naprstek)
Kodiak Creative
69
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 12-14,7-9 CCIW
74
Winner Carthage CARTH 18-8,9-7 CCIW
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
12-14,7-9 CCIW
69
Final
74
Carthage CARTH
18-8,9-7 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 36 33 69
Carthage CARTH 41 33 74

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men's Hoops Falls in CCIW Tournament Quarterfinals

Heflen scores game-high 20 points in final game of career

KENOSHA, Wis. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team saw its season come to an end in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Quarterfinals at Carthage College Tuesday night, Feb. 21. The Titans came up short, 74-69, finishing the season with a 12-14 record. The Firebirds advanced to the semifinal round and improved to 18-8 overall.

As they have been for the better part of the season, the Titans were led by the senior duo of Cody Mitchell (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) and Lucas Heflen (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North). Mitchell picked up his 11th double-double of the season by way of 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Heflen put up a game-high 20 points.

Illinois Wesleyan went 29-for-65 from the field (44.6 percent) and 6-for-19 from deep (31.6 percent). Heflen and sophomore Trey Bazzell (Fairbury, Ill.-Prairie Central) hit two triples apiece to pace the Green and White. At the free throw line, IWU finished 5-for-12.

The Firebirds three-point shooting proved to be the difference as Carthage knocked down 10-of-25 three-point tries, good for a 40 percent clip. Carthage finished the game 49.1 percent from the floor overall (27-for-55) and went 10-for-16 at the free throw line. 

Carthage led for the first 10 minutes before back-to-back buckets gave Illinois Wesleyan a 21-20 edge with 8:45 left in the half. 

The Firebirds used the three-ball to erase a five-point Titan advantage, reclaiming a 32-30 lead with 2:27 remaining. The long ball proved to be the start of a run by CC that saw the home team take a 41-36 lead into the break.

In the second half, Heflen used a floater and then a layup to provide the Green and White with a 55-53 lead. The senior later drilled a three-pointer and converted a layup to stake a 62-57 IWU lead with 6:35 remaining. 

Carthage responded with a 12-2 run to regain control, 69-64, with just under two and a half minutes to play.

Mitchell knocked down a three-pointer at the two-minute mark to make it a one possession game, 69-67, but the Firebirds closed out the game at the charity stripe.

 
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