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Boldt rebounding off a block
79
Augustana (IL) AUGIE 7-6,2-2 CCIW
88
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 11-3,3-2 CCIW
Augustana (IL) AUGIE
7-6,2-2 CCIW
79
Final
88
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
11-3,3-2 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Augustana (IL) AUGIE 28 51 79
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 39 49 88

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Blocks Aplenty as Men’s Hoops Defeats Augie

Titans set program single-game block record

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The 18th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team finished off the first day of classes with a 88-79 victory over Augustana College Wednesday night, Jan. 7, inside the Shirk Center. The Titans climbed to 11-3 with the win and 3-2 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play, while the Vikings stumbled to 7-6 (2-2 CCIW).

The Green and White rejected 11 shots on the night to establish a new modern statistical era record (since 2000), breaking IWU's nine in last year's CCIW Tournament semifinal win over Augie. Highlighting the effort, senior Nathan Boldt (Deer Park, Ill.-Barrington) swatted an individual modern statistical era program record five in the win to pace IWU. It is believed to be the most since David Caldwell's eight rejections against Wheaton in 1991. Sophomore Noah Cleveland (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) and junior Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) registered two apiece, while senior Karlo Colak (Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier) and junior Brady Kuehl (St. Louis, Mo.-Parkway West) tallied one each. 

The Titans saw three score 20+ points on the night, the first time in over 20 years. Cleveland led the way with a 25 point, 13 rebound double-double, his ninth of the season. Colak also recorded a double-double, with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Cleveland and Colak are the first pair to record double-doubles in the same game since Hakim Williams and Marko Anderson against Mary Hardin-Baylor, Dec. 30, 2024. Junior Casen Lawrence (St. Louis, Mo.-Westminster Christian) rounded out the 20+ scorers with a career-high 21 on a 5-of-9 shooting performance from three. Lawrence added six assists, which also marks a career-high. 

Illinois Wesleyan raced out to a 7-0 lead to take control from the opening tip. An offensive rebound made way for a three-pointer from Lawrence and Cleveland followed with back-to-back buckets.

Triples from Colak and Funk stretched the lead to double digits, 17-7, a cushion IWU maintained for most of the half. Kuehl kicked out to Lawrence for a three-pointer to up the lead to a dozen as IWU carried a 39-28 edge into the break.

The second half saw the Green and White extend its advantage to as many as 17, but the Vikings used a pair of free throws to cut the score to 63-58 at the 8:09 mark. After Funk was whistled for his fourth foul of the evening, junior Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) buried a three-ball and Colak knocked down another to drive the lead back to double-digits, 69-58.

Lawrence cashed in on an Augie technical foul before finding Colak for a three-ball to catapult the Titans ahead, 74-58, with five and a half minutes to go. 

The Vikings made one last push, but Illinois Wesleyan did not relent as the home team came away with an 88-79 triumph.

The Titans polish off a three-game home stretch Saturday, Jan. 10, as North Park University travels to the Shirk Center. Tipoff is set for 4:15 p.m. and will see longtime IWU broadcasting duo Eric Stock and Joel Swanson honored pregame, with NCAA Division III Outdoor National Champion Imani Ogunribido scheduled to be honored at halftime.


 
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