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NAPERVILLE, IL - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team wore down North Central College Saturday night, Dec. 9, using a balanced effort to earn a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin win. (Kodiak Creative/Jimmy Naprstek)
Kodiak Creative/Jimmy Naprstek
56
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 14-7,10-2 CCIW
59
Winner Millikin MIL-U 7-14,3-9 CCIW
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
14-7,10-2 CCIW
56
Final
59
Millikin MIL-U
7-14,3-9 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 21 35 56
Millikin MIL-U 27 32 59

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Sees Win Streak Snapped in Decatur

Titans host Elmhurst Feb. 7

DECATUR, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team suffered its first loss in more than a month as the Titans dropped a College Conference of Illinois Wisconsin bout at Millikin University Wednesday night, Jan. 31, by a score of 59-56. The loss snapped a seven-game win streak and dropped the Titans to 14-6 overall and 10-2 in CCIW play. Meanwhile, Millikin grabbed its first win of the calendar year to climb to 7-14 on the year and 3-9 in league contests.

Trailing by eight, 57-49, with just under a minute to play, junior Nick Roper (St. Louis, Mo.-MICDS) was fouled on a putback attempt. The 6-foot-8 junior converted a pair of free throws to pull IWU within six, 57-51, before junior Harrison Wilmsen (St. Louis, Mo.-Priory) knocked down a pair of freebies to make it a four-point game, 57-53, with 22 seconds on the clock.

Junior Marko Anderson (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) pulled in a key defensive rebound on a missed free throw from Millikin and quickly got the ball in the hands of senior Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic), who hit a jumper in the lane. Yoder was fouled on the bucket and completed the and-one with a free throw with 13 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing inbounds, junior Trey Bazzell (Fairbury, Ill.-Prairie Central) poked the Big Blue pass loose with time ticking under 10 seconds. Yoder collected the ball and fed Anderson, cutting down the middle of the lane, but the physical shot was off the mark. Millikin closed out the game with a pair of free throws as IWU's game-tying three-ball attempt fell short.

Yoder tied for the game lead with 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while also hauling seven rebounds and adding a pair of assists. Sroka added 10 points. Wilmsen notched six points and eight rebounds.

The Titans finished just 19-for-55 from the field (34.5 percent) and converted just 4-of-28 three-point attempts. The Green and White converted 14-of-15 free throws. The Big Blue finished with a field goal percentage of 36 percent (18-for-50). MU hit four three-pointers on 13 attempts, while Millikin hit 19-of-24 free throw opportunities.

Illinois Wesleyan compiled a 40-32 rebounding lead, which turned into a 14-4 advantage in second chance points. Millikin held a 19-7 lead in fastbreak scoring, while the teams finished even in bench points (14-14) and points in the paint (26-26).

The Green and White will take a week off before hosting Elmhurst University next Wednesday, Feb. 7, in a key CCIW contest. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

 
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