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Karlo Colak vs. Wheaton
Kodiak Creative
80
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 12-2,4-1 CCIW
69
North Park NPU 9-5,4-1 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
12-2,4-1 CCIW
80
Final
69
North Park NPU
9-5,4-1 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 34 46 80
North Park NPU 28 41 69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Tops League-Leading NPU on the Road

Titans move into tie in CCIW standings

CHICAGO - The seventh-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team moved into a tie for first-place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin standings with an 80-69 win at North Park University Wednesday night, Jan. 8, in Chicago. The Titans upped their record to 12-2 overall and 4-1 in league play, while the Vikings slipped to 9-5 (4-1 CCIW).

Freshman Josh Fridman (Northbrook, Ill.-Glenbrook North) and senior Nick Roper (St. Louis, Mo.-MICDS) led the Titans with 19 points each, with the freshman knocking down three three-pointers. Senior Hakim Williams (Round Lake, Ill.-Round Lake) tallied 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while senior Harrison Wilmsen (St. Louis, Mo.-Priory) scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds.

The Titans shot 27-for-65 from the field (41.5 percent) and converted 6-of-19 three-point tries. The Green and White made 20-of-25 free throws. IWU's stout defense held NPU to 24-for-70 shooting (34.3 percent) and a 7-of-29 showing from beyond the three-point line. The Vikings finished 14-for-17 at the charity stripe and won the turnover battle by a slim, 19-18, margin. 

IWU held the lead in rebounding, 44-42, leading to a 21-11 lead in second-chance scoring. Illinois Wesleyan posted a 40-34 lead in points in the paint, but North Park held the lead in points off turnovers (22-13), bench scoring (26-15), and fastbreak scoring (21-16).

North Park led in the early goings but Williams and junior Karlo Colak (Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier) propelled the Titans' comeback. Fridman fed Williams for a layup before finding Colak for a bucket the next time down the court to trim the NPU lead to one, 19-18. 

Williams knocked down a layup and then a free throw, before a freebie by sophomore Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) pushed the Titans ahead, 22-19, with 4:39 to play in the opening half. 

A seven-point spurt by Colak gave IWU an eight-point cushion, but North Park hit a layup at the buzzer to cut the Titan lead to six, 34-28, at halftime.

Illinois Wesleyan extended its lead to as many as 14 in the second half, but the Vikings drew within one, 58-57, with 6:05 to play. 

Williams broke the run with a layup and Fridman followed with a three-ball, before Roper's layup reclaimed an eight-point lead, 65-57, at the 5:14 mark. North Park put together one last push, but Illinois Wesleyan closed out the win at the free throw line.

The Titans are back at home this Saturday, Jan. 11, for a clash with North Central College. Tipoff is set for 4:15 p.m. and will serve as the second leg of a doubleheader with the IWU women's basketball team and see IWU athletics celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Shirk Center.


 
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