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Noah Cleveland dunk
Jimmy Naprstek/Kodiak Creative
80
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 13-3,5-2 CCIW
61
Wheaton (IL) WHEIL 10-6,4-3 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
13-3,5-2 CCIW
80
Final
61
Wheaton (IL) WHEIL
10-6,4-3 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 46 34 80
Wheaton (IL) WHEIL 33 28 61

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Cleveland & Lawrence Lead IWU Past Wheaton

Duo combines for 52 points

WHEATON, Ill. - The 15th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team took control and never looked back at Wheaton College Saturday, Jan. 17, as the Titans ran away with an 80-61 win. The Green and White move into a tie atop the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin standings at 5-2 while soaring to 13-3 overall. The Thunder drop to 10-6 on the season, 4-3 in league games.

Sophomore Noah Cleveland (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) and junior Casen Lawrence (St. Louis, Mo.-Westminster Christian) combined for 52 of Illinois Wesleyan's 80 points as the duo converted 21-of-28 shot attempts from the field and 7-of-11 three-point tries. Cleveland notched his 11th double-double of the season as he hauled in 13 rebounds, while adding in three assists, two steals, and a block. Lawrence, who knocked down six three-pointers, added two assists and a pair of boards. Senior Karlo Colak (Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier) contributed 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Illinois Wesleyan shot 46.9 percent from the field, highlighted by an 11-of-23 effort from beyond the arc. The Green and White went 9-of-13 at the free throw line. Wheaton was limited to 20-of-58 overall and 7-of-26 from three-point distance. The Thunder were efficient at the line, hitting 14-of-15 freebies. 

IWU mounted a 41-35 lead on the glass, but WC edged out a 12-11 lead in second-chance scoring. The Titans were dominant in the paint, 38-20, and also held the upperhand in fastbreak scoring (20-9), points off turnovers (22-17), and blocks (6-3).

The game stood even, 20-20, midway through the first half before the Titans took over. Junior Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) found Cleveland for a baseline three-ball and the big man followed with an and-one the next time down the floor to put the Green and White up, 26-20. 

Lawrence knocked down two three-pointers in a 50 second span off assists from Niego to push IWU ahead, 32-25, with just under six minutes to play in the first half. 

After another three-point play by Cleveland, Niego found Lawrence for his fourth three-pointer of the game to stretch the lead to double digits, 38-27. 

The momentum stayed in favor of the Titans as Illinois Wesleyan ripped off an 8-2 run over 1:22 of clock. Cleveland kicked off the run with a layup and junior Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) followed with a steal. Swiping a pass, Funk fed ahead to Lawrence. The hot-handed sharpshooter passed on a contested three-pointer and instead reversed the ball to set up a wide open triple by Colak. 

Lawrence hit from deep once more before the break to stretch cushion to 15, but Wheaton free throws trimmed the IWU lead to 46-33 at the intermission.

Illinois Wesleyan pieced together a 14-point run to pull away in the second half. Fueled by eight points from Cleveland, the Titans went 6-for-7 from the floor over 2:44 as Niego and Lawrence drained threes to give the visitors a 25-point advantage, 62-37.

The Green and White did not relent from that point on, leaving King Arena with an 80-61 win.

Illinois Wesleyan is back at home Wednesday night, Jan. 21, against Millikin University. The CCIW clash will begin at 7 p.m. inside the Shirk Center and will see IWU's women's volleyball team recognized at halftime.


 
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