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Mason Funk driving layup vs. Carroll 01.29.25
78
Carroll (WI) CAR 6-12,2-7 CCIW
81
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 17-2,9-1 CCIW
Carroll (WI) CAR
6-12,2-7 CCIW
78
Final
81
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
17-2,9-1 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Carroll (WI) CAR 34 35 9 78
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 39 30 12 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Outlasts Carroll in OT

Anderson comes up big in extra period

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The third-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team held off a furious comeback attempt by Carroll University Wednesday night, Jan. 29. The Titans (17-2, 9-1 CCIW) led by as many as 12 in the game, but needed overtime to power past the Pios (6-12, 2-7), 81-78.

A double-digit lead evaporated as Carroll used a 10-point run to grab a 51-46 lead with 13:16 to play in regulation, as back-to-back turnovers made way for Pio buckets.

Senior Nick Roper (St. Louis, Mo.-MICDS) hit a layup out of an IWU timeout and senior Hakim Williams (Round Lake, Ill.-Round Lake) knocked down a bucket to pull within one, 51-50, as the half neared the 10-minute mark. 

The quick spurt brought about a Carroll timeout, before Williams found freshman Josh Fridman (Northbrook, Ill.-Glenbard North) for a three-pointer. Sophomore Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) converted a tough floater in the lane to put IWU in front, 60-59, but a three-pointer allowed CU to reclaim the lead, 62-59.

Sophomore Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) corralled a pass on the wing and used a shot fake to create space before swishing a pull-up jumper to tie the game, 62-62, with 4:39 left in the period.

Senior Harrison Wilmsen (St. Louis, Mo.-Priory) pulled down an offensive rebound a minute later and hit the putback while drawing the harm. Wilmsen completed the three-point play at the charity stripe to lift the Titans to a 67-66 edge, but three free throws by Carroll in the final two minutes forced OT.

In the extra period, senior Marko Anderson (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) came up huge. The Pios struck first in the period, but Roper banked in a three-ball to give Illinois Wesleyan a 72-71 advantage at the 4:13 mark. Anderson followed with a bucket off the Funk assist, but Carroll once again used free throws to reclaim the lead.

Trailing 76-75 with less than two minutes to go, Anderson knocked down a putback to reclaim the lead, this time for good. The senior went two-for-two at the charity stripe with 18 seconds on the clock to stretch the lead to three, 79-76. The cushion proved large enough as Roper free throws iced out an 81-78 victory.

Roper led all players in scoring with a game-high 27 points, 17 of which came in the first half, while Wilmsen and Funk added 12 points apiece. Williams tallied nine points with Anderson going for eight points. 

On the glass, IWU was outrebounded, 46-41. Wilmsen pulled in a team-high nine rebounds, tying a career-high, while Anderson hauled in eight. Roper finished with seven and Funk added six. Williams paced the Titans with four steals and four blocks, while tying for the team lead with four assists.

Illinois Wesleyan finished 28-for-64 from the field (43.8 percent) and 7-for-20 (35 percent) from long range. The Green and White overcame a tough night at the free throw line, finishing 18-for-26 (69.2 percent). Carroll's offense was held to 28-of-74 shooting (37.8 percent) and finished just 6-for-25 from beyond the arc (24 percent). The Pios converted 16-of-23 free throw attempts. 

The Titans held slim leads in points off turnovers (14-13), second-chance scoring (13-8), and fastbreak scoring (18-9), while CU led in bench points (17-14). 

Illinois Wesleyan is on the road for its next contest as the Titans travel to R.A. Faganel Hall for a CCIW clash with Elmhurst University. Tipoff is set for 4:15 p.m. and will follow the IWU women's basketball team's battle with the Bluejays.
 
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