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Karlo Colak shooting vs. Bethany Lutheran in NCAA First Round 03.07.2025
Kodiak Creative
67
Bethany Lutheran BLC 14-14,9-5 UMAC
101
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 23-5,12-4 CCIW
Bethany Lutheran BLC
14-14,9-5 UMAC
67
Final
101
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
23-5,12-4 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Bethany Lutheran BLC 32 35 67
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 44 57 101

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Rolls into NCAA Second Round

Titans topple Bethany Lutheran, 101-67

Postgame Press Conference

CHICAGO - The ninth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team began NCAA Division III Tournament play with a 101-67 win over Bethany Lutheran College Friday evening, March 7, at the Ratner Athletic Center. IWU (23-5) advances to tomorrow night's second round game with the win, while BLC's season comes to a close at 14-14.

Illinois Wesleyan put up 100+ points for the first time since Feb. 13, 2019, when the Titans scored 111 against North Park. The scoring outburst was highlighted by a career day from junior Karlo Colak (Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier), who went off for a career-high 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting from field goal and 3-for-5 beyond the arc. Senior Nick Roper (St. Louis, Mo.-MICDS) added 17 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while senior Harrison Wilmsen (St. Louis, Mo.-Priory) scored 10 points. Roper and senior Hakim Williams (Round Lake, Ill.-Round Lake) each dished out five assists, tying for the team lead.

The Green and White converted 37-of-68 shot attempts, including a 13-for-36 showing from beyond the arc. IWU knocked down 14-of-16 free throws. The Vikings shot at a 45.0 percent clip (27-of-60), and went just 6-for-23 from three-point range and 7-for-15 at the charity stripe.

The Titans compiled leads in points off turnovers (21-15), points in the paint (42-32), second-chance scoring (11-7), fastbreak scoring (17-5), and bench scoring (52-3). The Green and White were dominant on the glass, hauling in a 44-25 lead in rebounding, while also dishing out a season-high 26 assists. The 26 dimes are the most by the Titans since recording 31 against North Park Feb. 13, 2019.

Illinois Wesleyan struck first with a three-pointer by Wilmsen and Bethany Lutheran answered right back to knot the game a minute in.

Freshman Josh Fridman (Northbrook, Ill.-Glenbrook North) found senior Marko Anderson (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) for a bucket a few minutes later, kicking off a 15-2 IWU run. The four-minute spurt featured buckets by five different Titans as the Green and White converted 6-of-7 shot attempts and 3-of-4 three-point tries.

Colak drilled a three-pointer off a dish from Williams to push IWU ahead, 18-5, with 13:35 to play in the half.

Bethany Lutheran battled back within four, but Illinois Wesleyan ripped off another big run, this time outscoring the Vikings, 18-6, over nearly six minutes to take control, 38-22. 

A three-pointer by sophomore Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) and a jumper by Roper stretched the lead to 20 with 2:40 remaining in the period.

Leading 44-32 out of the break, the Green and White upped its advantage to as many as 37 en route to the opening-round victory.

Illinois Wesleyan advances to tomorrow night's regional championship game against either St. John's University (Minn.) or University of Chicago. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. in the Ratner Athletic Center.
 
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