BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The ninth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team will return to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time since 2022 this weekend, March 7-8, when the Titans travel to the Windy City. IWU will take on Bethany Lutheran College at 4 p.m. Friday, March 7, in the first game of a pod hosted by the University of Chicago. UC and No. 7 St. John's University (Minn.) are scheduled to play at 6:30 p.m.
    Illinois Wesleyan (22-5) garnered the 26th NCAA tournament appearance in program history by virtue of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin's automatic bid. The Titans won the CCIW Tournament this past Saturday, March 1, as IWU downed top-seeded Carthage College, 79-60, on the Firebirds' home floor. Bethany Lutheran upset top-seeded North Central University in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament before winning the title with a 90-84 victory over the University of Northwestern. BLC sits at 14-13 overall. UC is 18-7 on the season and earned an at-large berth into the 64-team field. The Maroons most recently edged WashU, 76-68, March 1. St. John's made its way to the national tournament with a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title and the league's AQ. The Johnnies own a 24-3 overall record.
    Eric Stock and Joel Swanson will have the radio broadcast on WESN, while the game can be viewed on NCAA.com or via the NCAA Championship Pass app. Live stats will also be available. Links on can be found on the men's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.
STRONG ON BOTH SIDES: Illinois Wesleyan is one of 15 schools across Division III to have both its men's and women's basketball teams competing in the NCAA Tournament this season. In fact, IWU's combined history ranks the Titans among the top in Division III. In research compiled by former WashUÂ SID Chris Mitchell, the Titans enter the 2025 tourney with 78 combined wins - the fifth-most in Division III.
CCIW ON THE NATIONAL STAGE: The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin has seen incredible success on the national stage, with six NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championships to its credit. North Park won five titles (1978, 1979, 1980, 1985, and 1987), while Illinois Wesleyan is the most recent team to accomplish the feat as IWU hoisted the trophy in 1997.
The league has two teams in this year's field with Illinois Wesleyan and Carthage making the postseason tournament.
BATTLE TESTED: Of the tournament's 64 teams, the Green and White have played five of them in California Lutheran, Carthage, Chicago, UW-Platteville, and WashU. The Titans went 5-2 against the group during the regular season.
NICE TO MEET YOU: The Titans will face Bethany Lutheran for the first time ever this Friday, March 7, when the Green and White open up NCAA Tournament action. In fact, IWU has faced just one member of the UMAC all-time. The Titans took on UW-Superior in the 2000-01 campaign, falling 82-72. On the flip side, BLC has a bit more familiarity with the CCIW. The Vikings have faced three CCIW foes, compiling a 3-1 record. Bethany Lutheran holds a 2-0 record against Carroll and a 1-0 mark against Wheaton, while sitting at 0-1 versus Carthage.
CUE UP THE CHANTS: Freshman Josh Fridman lit up Augustana in IWU's CCIW Tournament semifinal bout Friday, Feb. 28. The rookie point guard poured in a career-high 24 points, aided by six three-pointers, to pace the Titans. Illinois Wesleyan dispatched the Vikings, 70-65, to advance to the CCIW Tournament Championship for the second straight season.
SHOWED UP WHEN IT MATTERED MOST: A nominee for the CCIW's Most Outstanding Player, Nick Roper put together a monster game to lead IWU to the league tournament title, March 1. Roper erupted for 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting with three three-pointers in the championship game against Carthage. The St. Louis, Mo. native added seven rebounds and two assists as IWU overpowered the Firebirds, 79-60. It marked his eighth 20-point game of the season and checked in two points shy of his career-high.
THE COMFORT OF KNOWING: One year ago on "Selection Monday," the Titans were spurned as one of the first teams out of the 2024 NCAA tournament field. This year was much different though, as Illinois Wesleyan secured the CCIW Tournament Championship and the league's automatic bid and did not have to sweat it out.
CCIW TOURNEY CHAMPS: The league began hosting a conference tournament in 2003, but had not seen IWU win the bracket in its regular format until this past weekend. Saturday's win over Carthage gave Illinois Wesleyan the first CCIW Tournament Championship in program history. The Titans won the 2021 COVID tournament, which was used to award the CCIW Regular Season Champion and did not require qualifying as all nine team competed.
HELPING HANDS: Senior Hakim Williams dished out a career-high 10 assists in IWU's win over Wheaton, Jan. 25, as the floor general became the 13th Titan to dole out double-digit assists. It is the 33rd time in program history that a player has notched 10+ helpers and is tied for 16th-most in a game all-time.
    With four assists in a win at Elmhurst, Feb. 1, Williams surpassed 200 for his career. He is the 29th player in program history with 200+ assists. For his career, Williams has been credited with 221 helpers and ranks tied for 23rd all-time in program history. He is one ahead of Bryan Crabtree's career total of 220 and one behind Bryce Dolan (222).
TREYS FOR DAYS: Freshman Josh Fridman powered the offense in a CCIW Tournament semifinals win over Augie, Feb. 28, as he went 6-for-10 from beyond the arc. Fridman's six three-pointers are the most by a Titan since Lucas Heflen hit six against Nebraska Wesleyan Nov. 18, 2022. Additionally, he joins Jackson Niego (at Augustana Feb. 22, 2025), Mason Funk (vs. WashU, Dec. 19, 2024), Nick Roper (vs. North Central Jan. 11, 2025) and Trey Bazzell (vs. Westminster, Nov. 22, 2024 & vs. North Park, Feb. 19, 2025) to hit four-or-more three-pointers in a game this season.
ALL EYES ON US: The Titans have long been known for their strong community support, as evident by the regular crowds that visit the Shirk Center to cheer on IWU basketball. In fact, Illinois Wesleyan averaged a crowd of 1409 over 11 home games, the second-highest average across Division III. Additionally, IWU is one of five Division III programs averaging 1000+ fans alongside Hope (1622), Calvin (1397), Trine (1225), Mount Union (1065), and St. John's (1012 game)
Furthermore, IWU has brought out some of the best crowds for its opposition throughout the season. Of Illinois Wesleyan's 12 true road games, nine of them featured crowds larger than average for its opponents. Additionally, Augustana (1668) and Carthage (1984) set season-highs in attendance when the Titans paid visits to Rock Island, Ill. and Kenosha, Wis., respectively.
HARD TO COME BY: Illinois Wesleyan has established itself as one of the stingiest defenses in all of Division III this season. The Titans are ranked 21st nationally in field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 39.0 percent. IWU is allowing just 68.9 points per game, a mark which is slotted 86th-best across Division III. Futhermore, the Titans are 15-1 when limiting opponents to fewer than 70 points compared to 6-4 when the opposition scores 70-or-better.
TAKE WHAT'S FREE: Illinois Wesleyan's aggressive offensive play and willingness to attack the rim has led to a lot of trips to the free throw line this season. In fact, IWU is averaging 23.5 free throws per contest, the 24th-most across Division III. More importantly however, the Titans are 28th nationally with 16.5 free throws made per contest. The scary part? Illinois Wesleyan has the opportunity to improve the second ranking, as the Titans are converting 70.2 percent of their free throws - a mark that sits seventh in the CCIW and 201st nationally. IWU is 12-1 when making 70-percent-or-better of its free throw tries this season and just 10-4 when shooting below 70 percent from the stripe.
BENCH BOSS: In his 18th season leading his alma mater, Ron Rose has compiled a 347-163 overall record. His career mark includes 187 CCIW wins, the most of any active head coach in the conference.
    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 regular season title last season.
ON THE HORIZON: The winner of Friday night's game between Titans and Bethany Lutheran will advance to Saturday's regional championship to face the winner of the St. John's-Chicago game. Game time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
