BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Four straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin contests inside the Shirk Center begins Wednesday, Jan. 28, as the 12th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team hosts Carthage College for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
    The Titans bring a nine-game win streak into the week after starting CCIW play 1-2. IWU edged out Carroll University, 60-58, on the road, Jan. 24, to move to 15-3 on the season and 7-2 in league games. On the flip side, Carthage carries a 12-6 overall standing and 6-3 CCIW ledger into Shirk. The Firebirds snapped a two-game skid with a 75-61 home win over Augustana College, Jan. 24.
    Eric Stock and Joel will call the action on the CCIW Network. Live stats will also be available. Links can be found on the men's basketball page of iwusports.com.

A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE LONG SNAPPER: Illinois Wesleyan will recognize junior long snapper Zach Hansen at halftime of Wednesday's clash with Carthage. Hansen was named an AP Second Team All-American last month, becoming the first All-America honoree of head coach Jared Williamson's tenure. He is the first Titan to be named an AP All-America pick since Trevor Staley repeated as a second team standout in 2018, while he is IWU's first All-American since Jahari Scott was a D3football.com Fourth Team selection in 2023. Additionally, Hansen is the highest All-America selection for Illinois Wesleyan since Mike Murphy was listed as a first teamer following the COVID-altered season in 2021 and the first Titan long snapper to receive the honor in program history.

EVERYONE'S TALKING BOUT 2016, WHAT ABOUT 2013?: The Green and White has won nine straight games dating back to a 78-76 win at then No. 4 WashU, Dec. 18. IWU's win streak is the program's longest since winning 13 straight from Jan. 2-Feb. 16, 2013.

FACING THE FIREBIRDS: Illinois Wesleyan and Carthage share a rivalry that dates back to the 1946-47 season. IWU owns a 111-32 lead in the 143-game history between the two conference foes, but CC has won five of the past nine meetings.
    The Titans kicked off conference play with an 85-81 overtime win at Carthage, Dec. 3. IWU took a tied halftime score and charged ahead by as many as eight in the second half, but Carthage clawed back to force OT. Back-to-back three-pointers by Casen Lawrence in the extra period pushed the Green and White in front by four. Mason Funk poured in a game-high 35 points, while Lawrence and Karlo Colak added a dozen points each.

REVISITING PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Illinois Wesleyan and Carthage were tabbed the top-two teams in the CCIW according to the conference's coaches preseason poll as well as the D3hoops.com Preseason Top-25.
    The Firebirds were the unanimous first-place pick with 64 points and all eight of the available top-spot votes in the conference poll. IWU ranked second with Carthage's first-place vote (since teams cannot vote for themselves) and 57 points.
    In the national polls, Carthage entered the year slotted eighth in the D3hoops Top-25. Illinois Wesleyan entered the season No. 16 nationally.

HOME SWEET HOME: The Titans enjoy one of the greatest athletic venues in NCAA Division III. The Shirk Center has been home to more than 750 Titan basketball games between both the men and women. The men hold a 324-69 record on their home floor (.824 win pct.).

SUFFOCATING DEFENSE: The Titans have made it hard on opponents to score this season as IWU is limiting opponents to 65.4 points per game, good for 26th-best across Division III. Illinois Wesleyan's stingy defense has come behind the most blocks per game (6.8) and the 12th-best field goal percentage defense (38.4) in the country.

IT'S A BLOCK PARTY: The Titans have not only been the best shot-blocking team in Division III with 123 blocks (6.8 bpg), but this year's squad is one of the greatest shot-altering squads in IWU history.  Through 18 games, this year's total ranks as the third-most in program history. Additionally, IWU's 123 rejections are the most since the 1990-91 squad.
    Individually, Noah Cleveland and Mason Funk lead the CCIW and are tied for 22nd nationally with 36 blocks. Brady Kuehl's 14 swats are sixth in the CCIW, with Nathan Boldt's 12 ranked 10th.

THAT'S OUR CAPTAIN: Senior Karlo Colak has done a bit of everything for the Titans this season. The Glencoe, Ill. native is averaging 11.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game through 17 games. He is one of just four CCIW players averaging 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists joining Carroll's Lamar Smith (17.5p - 7.5r - 3.0a), North Park's Kolden Vanlandingham (15.9p - 6.7r - 5.5a), and North Central's Alejandro Diaz (13.5p - 5.5r - 4.4a). More impressively though, is that Colak has put up a stat-stuffing line while turning the ball over just 18 times. Meanwhile, the other four have 42-or-more turnovers on the year.

KEYS TO VICTORY: Through 18 games, IWU has established several keys to victory. Illinois Wesleyan is 13-0 when scoring 60+ points, and also boasts a 5-0 mark when limiting opponents to no more than 59 points. Additionally, the Green and White is 10-1 when taking a lead into the half compared to 5-2 when trailing or tied at the break.

JAXED UP: With Josh Fridman sidelined to injury, Jackson Niego has stepped into the role and emerged as one of the top orchestrators in Division III. Niego has served as a steady hand all season long with 80 assists to 24 turnovers. His 3.33 assist-to-turnover ratio leads the CCIW and is eighth-best nationally.

POLLING STATION:  Illinois Wesleyan is one of nine programs that have appeared in at least 200 D3hoops.com Top-25 rankings. In fact, the Titans' 211 appearances in the weekly poll are fifth-most all-time as well as the most in the CCIW. They are currently ranked No. 12 in the poll.

BIG MAN ON CAMPUS: With 18 collegiate games under his belt, sophomore Noah Cleveland has established himself as one of the great bigs in NCAA Division III this season. The Normal, Ill. product leads the team in both scoring and rebounding with his averaged of 18.9 points and 11.6 rebounds per contest. He is shooting 60.0 percent from the field on the year and has added a team-high 36 blocks with 30 steals and 29 assists.
    Nationally, Cleveland is fourth with 209 rebounds, while he is third with 12 double-doubles. The sophomore rookie sits 11th nationally in rebounds per game (11.6), and 22nd in blocks (36). He is a three-time CCIW Player of the Week, two-time D3hoops Team of the Week selection, and Bevo Francis Top-100 Watch List honoree.

LAWRENCE LOCKS IN: Over the last nine games, junior Casen Lawrence has served as quite the spark for the Green and White. The sharpshooter has seemingly found his groove from distance, knocking down 34-of-64 three-point attempts over the past nine games. Lawrence, who is connecting on 53.1 percent of his three-balls since Dec. 18, is averaging 12.6 points per game over the stretch. A weapon from beyond the arc, he has hit four-or-more three pointers in six of IWU's past eight games.

BENCH BOSS: In his 20th season leading his alma mater, Ron Rose has compiled a 364-167 overall record. His career mark includes 195 CCIW wins, the most of any active CCIW head coach.
    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 2025 CCIW Tournament title.

ON THE HORIZON: The Titans remain home this weekend, Jan. 31, looking for revenge against North Central College. Tipoff is slated for 4:15 p.m. and will serve as the program's annual PinkZone game. Additionally, Illinois Wesleyan will recognize the 2025 IWU men's golf program that placed second at the NCAA Championship last spring. The team will be honored at halftime, while a banner drop ceremony will be held in the Shirk Center fieldhouse at 3 p.m.