BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The No. 16 Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season for the Albion Tournament in Albion, Mich. Friday-Saturday, Nov. 21-22. The Titans will take on Wisconsin Lutheran College Friday, Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. ET, before clashing with either Albion College or Kenyon College Saturday, Nov. 22.
    IWU is 3-0 on the season after winning the Sikma Hall of Fame Invitational, and, most recently, taking down No. 11 University of Chicago Wednesday, Nov. 19, inside the Shirk Center, 72-69, giving the Maroons their first loss of the season. Wisconsin Lutheran is 0-3 this season, falling to College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin foe Elmhurst, 75-50, Nov. 15. Potential opponent Albion sits at a perfect 4-0 on the season, while Kenyon is 2-1.
    Fans can catch Eric Stock on WESN, while live stats and live stream will be provided. Links can be found on the men's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.
HIGH-FIVE: In a balanced offensive attack against Chicago, Wednesday, Nov. 19, five players scored in double figures. Noah Cleveland scored 14 points, Josh Fridman chipped in 12, Casen Lawrence and Brady Kuehl added 11 apiece, while Karlo Colak scored 10.
    Ron Rose is known for his balanced offensive schemes. Last season, five Titans scored in double digits in seven games. Most recently, in a win over North Park, Feb. 19, 2025, Harrison Wilmsen, Nick Roper, Mason Funk, Josh Fridman, and Trey Bazzell each scored 10+ points.
YOUNG BLOOD: Illinois Wesleyan has adjusted from having a senior-laden lineup a year ago, to having just one senior in the starting lineup. In his first season of collegiate basketball, Noah Cleveland has led the Titans in scoring in his return to basketball, scoring 15.3 points per game. Transfer Casen Lawrence has inserted himself into the starting lineup this season, draining three-of-six from beyond the arc in IWU's win against Chicago.
IWU VERSUS THE FIELD: Friday's game will mark the first meeting all-time between Wisconsin Lutheran and Illinois Wesleyan. Against potential opponents Albion and Kenyon, IWU has a short history, meeting both teams a combined three times with a 2-1 overall record.
    Albion and the Titans have met twice, in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. The Titans and Britons have split in their back-to-back appearances. Meanwhile, Kenyon and the Green and White have only met once, with the lone appearance coming in the 1948 season where IWU was victorious.
AGAINST THE TOP-25: The Titans hold an impressive record over top-25 opponents in the last two seasons, winning eight of 10 contests. Over the past five seasons, the Green and White has an 18-11 record over ranked teams. IWU added another top-25 win to its resume when it defeated No. 11 Chicago, Wednesday, Nov. 19. Last season, the Titans won six games against top-25 opponents with two coming in the NCAA Tournament.
BENCH BOSS: In his 20th season leading his alma mater, Ron Rose has compiled a 352-164 overall record. His career mark includes 187 CCIW wins, the most of any active CCIW head coach.
    The Titans won the 2013, 2014, 2022, and 2024 CCIW titles outright and shared the 2018 regular season championship with Augustana. Illinois Wesleyan claimed the 2021 CCIW Championship in a COVID-shortened season as well as the 2025 CCIW Tournament title.
ON THE HORIZON: After taking a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Titans return to the Shirk Center for more non-conference play to host University of Wisconsin-Stout Saturday, Nov. 29. Tipoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. in Bloomington, Ill.
