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Jackson Niego driving against Millikin Wednesday, Jan. 21
ASHTIN ELDER PHOTO
62
Millikin MIL-U 12-6,4-5 CCIW
72
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 14-3,6-2 CCIW
Millikin MIL-U
12-6,4-5 CCIW
62
Final
72
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
14-3,6-2 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Millikin MIL-U 29 33 62
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 22 50 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Completes Comeback to Down Millikin

Titans erase 13-point deficit amid strong second half

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The No. 13 Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team erased early shooting woes and a 13-point deficit to down Millikin University, 72-62, inside the Shirk Center Wednesday night, Jan. 21. The win, IWU's eighth in a row, bumps the Titans to 14-3 overall, and 6-2 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play, while MU drops to 12-6 on the season, and 4-5 in league action.

The Green and White were led in scoring by three in double figures. Sophomore Noah Cleveland (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) led Illinois Wesleyan with 19 points and eight rebounds. Senior Karlo Colak (Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier) closely followed with 17 points to go along with eight boards and three assists. Junior Casen Lawrence (St. Louis, Mo.-Westminster Christian) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 16, including a 4-for-10 showing from three-point range. Junior Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) finished with the team-lead in assists with five, while adding nine points, four steals, two rebounds, and a block to his well-balanced stat line. 

After a slow first half saw IWU struggle offensively, the Titans turned the game around with a solid second half to finish shooting 37.3 percent, on a 19-of-51 showing, and 9-of-30 (30.0 percent) from deep. A foul-heavy game saw the Green and White use the free throw line to its advantage, converting 25-of-34 attempts (73.5 percent). The Titans finished with the advantage in points off turnovers (17-11), second chance scoring (11-6), and fast break points (14-7). MU notched the edge in points in the paint (26-18) and bench points (19-3). 

A 10-0 run in the middle of the first half by the Big Blue gave the Titans their largest deficit of the game, 25-12, with five minutes remaining in the first period. Back-to-back three balls off the hands of Colak and Lawrence to close out the first 20 minutes gave the Green and White momentum headed into the intermission, as IWU trimmed the gap to five, 29-22. 

The Titans began the second half on a strong note, as junior Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) picked the pockets of the Big Blue and found Cleveland for three to cut the MU lead to two. Turning defense into offense again, Niego forced a live ball turnover and took it to the rim to erase a 13 point deficit and tie the game at 29. 

Five minutes into the second half, Funk found Niego for three to give IWU its first lead of the night, 34-32. The Titans never trailed again, although the Big Blue kept it competitive throughout the remainder of the second half. 

Colak sunk a three off a dish from Niego to up Illinois Wesleyan's cushion to seven, 48-41, with under 10 minutes remaining. Millikin continued to chip its way back into the game until Lawrence buried a long three off a dish from Niego to make it 54-49 in favor of the Green and White with 6:12 to go. Niego snagged a rebound on the next play to set up the Titans in transition, and Cleveland made the Big Blue pay with a bucket. The five point gap caused MU to use a timeout at the 5:33 mark. 

An offensive board by Colak gave the Titans a second chance, and Niego took advantage of the opportunity as he sank a three to get the Shirk Center crowd on their feet. The long-range bucket put IWU ahead 64-55 with 2:40 remaining in the game.

A stuff from Funk, his fifth of the game, shattered the Big Blue's hopes of a comeback as a rebound and pair of Colak free throws gave IWU a double digit lead and the eventual victory, 72-62

After the quick stop at home, Illinois Wesleyan will hit the road once again for a battle with CCIW foe Carroll University in Waukesha, Wis. The 4:15 p.m. tipoff between the Titans and Pios inside Van Male Fieldhouse will serve as the back half of a double dip with the IWU women's squad.
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