Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
Jackson Niego driving through contact
Jimmy Naprstek/Kodiak Creative
66
Winner Wis.-Stout Stout 3-3,0-0 WIAC
58
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 5-1,0-0 CCIW
Winner
Wis.-Stout Stout
3-3,0-0 WIAC
66
Final
58
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
5-1,0-0 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Wis.-Stout Stout 31 35 66
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 25 33 58

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Stunned by UW-Stout

Titans led by as many as 10 in the second half

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The sixth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team saw a double-digit lead slip away in a 66-58 defeat at the hands of University of Wisconsin-Stout Saturday afternoon, Nov. 29, inside the Shirk Center. Illinois Wesleyan's perfect start to the year came to an end as the Titans slid to 5-1 with the loss, while UW-Stout jumped to 3-3.

After trailing by as many nine in the first half as the Titan offense could not find its groove, junior Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) put the Green and White on track with a three from the wing on junior Jackson Niego's (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) assist. Senior Karlo Colak (Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier) hit sophomore Noah Cleveland (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) for a reverse layup to turn a six-point halftime deficit into a four-point lead, 34-30.

The Blue Devils battled back to reclaim a lead, but an eight-point run by the Titans put the home team back on top. Senior Nick Tingley (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) hit junior Brady Ruggles (Wheaton, Ill.-Danville) for a three-ball to start the run. Following back-to-back buckets by Cleveland, Niego fought through contact for a bucket to give IWU a 47-42 edge with 10:29 to go.

Junior Casen Lawrence (St. Louis, Mo.-Westminster Christian) knocked down a triple to force a Stout timeout, but a Colak bucket out of the reset gave IWU its largest lead of the day, 52-42, with 8:12 on the clock.

Cleveland put back his own miss at the 3:58 mark to push the Green and White ahead, 58-57, but UW-Stout held Illinois Wesleyan scoreless from that point on. The Blue Devils used a few timely makes alongside strong free throw shooting to stun the Titans, 66-58.

Illinois Wesleyan was led in scoring by Cleveland who posted a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double. He added six steals to lead the Green and White. Colak also finished in double figures, chipping in 10 points, while Niego and Funk added eight points apiece.

The Titans hot shooting slowed as IWU connected on 36.1 percent of its shots, going 22-of-61 on the day. Illinois Wesleyan was 3-for-24 from beyond the arc and 11-of-20 at the free throw line. UW-Stout shot 47.1 percent from the field (24-of-51) and hit 5-of-14 three-point tries. The Blue Devils cashed in for 13-of-18 free throw attempts.

Illinois Wesleyan led the rebounding battle, 38-37, and mounted a 19-7 lead in second-chance scoring. The Green and White also led in points off turnovers (16-14) and points in the paint (38-30). UW-Stout collected advantages in bench scoring (38-13) and fastbreak scoring (11-1).

The Titans look to bounce back Wednesday, Dec. 3, as College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play kicks off at Carthage College. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Tarble Arena.

 
Print Friendly Version