Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
Mason Funk dribbling
Kodiak Creative
60
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 15-3,7-2 CCIW
58
Carroll (WI) CAR 8-10,3-6 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
15-3,7-2 CCIW
60
Final
58
Carroll (WI) CAR
8-10,3-6 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 25 35 60
Carroll (WI) CAR 26 32 58

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Holds on at Carroll

Funk and Cleveland led way with 17 points apiece

WAUKESHA, Wis. - The 13th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team gutted out a 60-58 win over Carroll University at Van Male Fieldhouse Saturday, Jan. 24. The Titans trailed by as many as seven, but used a second-half push to earn the win and move to 15-3 on the year. IWU stretched its win streak to nine and improved to 7-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. CU stumbled to 8-10 overall, 3-6 in league contests.

Sophomore Noah Cleveland (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) and junior Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) scored 17 points apiece, while Cleveland collected a double-double with 13 rebounds. Funk topped the team with four swipes, while the duo alongside senior Karlo Colak Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier) notched two blocks apiece. Sophomore Connor Williams (Palos Park, Ill.-Stagg) provided a spark off the bench with a career-high eight points on 3-of-4 shooting. 

Illinois Wesleyan shot 44.4 percent from the floor, going 24-of-54 on the day. The Titans hit seven three-pointers on 24 attempts, but went just 5-of-15 at the charity stripe. Carroll was held to 22-of-53 from the floor (41.5 percent). The Pios were 6-of-22 from long range and 8-for-13 at the stripe. 

Carroll drained a three to knot the score at 12 all ahead of an IWU line change with 11:39 to go in the first half. The fresh lineup sparked the Green and White as Funk and junior Brady Kuehl (St. Louis, Mo.-Parkway West) hit back-to-back three-pointers to drive the Titans ahead, 18-12. 

Colak knocked down a 10-footer from the baseline to maintain the six-point edge, 25-19, but the Pios rattled off seven straight points to stake their first lead. The run finished off the half as Illinois Wesleyan went to the locker room down, 26-25.

Three-pointers by Funk and Connor Williams erased a Carroll cushion and tied the game at 41 all. Cleveland followed with a tough finish at the rim and Connor Williams drained a long two-pointer to catapult IWU ahead, 45-41.

Junior Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) converted a tough floater through contact and Colak found Funk for a bucket to stretch Illinois Wesleyan's advantage to eight, 55-47, with 5:26 to play.

Four free throws and a layup drew the home team back within four, 57-53, but Cleveland hit a layup to reclaim a six-point edge, 59-53, as the clock ticked towards three minutes. 

After Carroll knocked down a jumper, the Pios followed an empty IWU possession with a wing three-pointer to trim the Titan lead to one, 59-58. 

Cleveland converted a free throw to give the Green and White a 60-58 lead and later stuffed a game-tying attempt in the paint. Cleveland's rejection kept the Titans on top with 17.1 to go.

Illinois Wesleyan missed a few free throws late, but the suffocating defense got enough stops to hold on, 60-58.

The Titans are home against Carthage College Wednesday, Jan. 28, for a 7 p.m. tipoff inside the Shirk Center.

 
Print Friendly Version