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Mason Funk going up for a layup
ASHTIN ELDER PHOTO
68
Elmhurst ELM 4-5,1-2 CCIW
86
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 8-1,2-1 CCIW
Elmhurst ELM
4-5,1-2 CCIW
68
Final
86
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
8-1,2-1 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Elmhurst ELM 37 31 68
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 42 44 86

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Twelve Titans Score as Titans Overpower Bluejays

Funk posts career-high 20 points

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Twelve Titans scored as the 10th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team overpowered Elmhurst University, 86-68, inside the Shirk Center Sunday afternoon, Dec. 15. The Titans improved to 8-1 on the season, 2-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, while the Bluejay slipped to 4-5 overall (1-2 CCIW).

Sophomore Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) led the way with a career-high 20 point showing, as he shot 8-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from distance. Joining Funk in double figures were seniors Hakim Williams (Round Lake, Ill.-Round Lake) and Harrison Wilmsen (St. Louis, Mo.-Priory). Williams scored a dozen points to go along with team-highs of six rebounds and three steals, while Wilmsen added 10 points and four boards. Making the first start of his career, freshman Josh Fridman (Northbrook, Ill.-Glenbrook North) finished with eight points, a team-high five assists, and a pair of steals.

The Green and White were incredibly efficient from the floor, finishing 32-of-52 overall for a field goal percentage of 61.5 percent. IWU went 7-for-19 from beyond the arc (36.8 percent) and 15-of-23 at the free throw line. Elmhurst was limited to 20-of-54 shooting (37.0 percent), but used 12 three-pointers to hang around into halftime. The Bluejays converted 12-of-27 three-point attempts and finished 16-of-26 in free throws.

The Titans held a 34-28 lead in rebounding, but the Bluejays earned a 12-8 edge in second-chance scoring on the back of 12 offensive rebounds. Illinois Wesleyan dominated the paint, 46-10, and also held leads in points off turnovers (20-18) and fastbreak scoring (17-0).

Illinois Wesleyan came out strong, using a six-point spurt to jump out to a 10-3 lead. Back-to-back layups by Williams and Funk were followed by a one-handed slam by Roper to give the Green and White a seven-point lead as the game neared the 16-minute mark.

The Titans pieced together a 12-1 run over three minutes after a Bluejay three-pointer to break the game open. Five different Titans scored during the run, as Williams found senior Marko Anderson (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) and junior Nathan Boldt (Deerfield, Ill.-Barrington) for layups, Fridman converted on a drive at the rim, and Funk and senior Trey Bazzell (Fairbury, Ill.-Prairie Central) drilled triples off assists from sophomore Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township). 

Stretching its lead to 15 points, 22-7, with 12:31 on the clock, the Titans seemed to be in control but the Bluejays clawed back. Aided by seven IWU miscues, Elmhurst went on a 22-7 run to level the score at 29 all with 4:14 left in the opening half.

Pull-up jumpers from Funk and Fridman sandwiched a bucket by senior Shane Miller (Springfield, Ill.-Springfield) as the Titans reclaimed the lead, 36-29. The Bluejays pulled back within three in the final minute of the period, but free throws by Miller sent IWU to the break in front, 42-37.

EU opened the second half with a three-pointer to quickly trim the Illinois Wesleyan advantage to two, 42-40, but eight straight IWU points halted any opportunity for Elmhurst to seize momentum. Funk fed Wilmsen for a triple and the senior followed with an and-one on a drive to the rim. Funk finished off the spurt with a driving layup of his own, extending the Titan advantage to double digits, 50-40.

The Green and White kept the Bluejays at a distance from there, eventually rattling off an 18-point scoring run to charge ahead, 79-54, with 5:39 left to play. Illinois Wesleyan never looked back, closing out the win, 86-68.

The Titans are back at home this coming Thursday, Dec. 19, for a showdown with No. 2 WashU inside the Shirk Center. Tipoff between the Titans and Bears is scheduled for 7 p.m.


 
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