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Connor Williams dribbling
© AshtinElder
53
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 19-4,11-3 CCIW
52
Millikin MIL-U 13-10,5-9 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
19-4,11-3 CCIW
53
Final
52
Millikin MIL-U
13-10,5-9 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 21 32 53
Millikin MIL-U 28 24 52

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Hoops Holds On in Nailbiter at Millikin

Titans trailed by as many as nine

DECATUR, Ill. - Eight different players scored as the No. 16 Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team overcame a nine-point deficit to down Millikin University, 53-52, at the Griswold Center Wednesday night, Feb. 11. The win extends the Titans to 19-4 overall and 11-3 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play, while the Big Blue stumble to 13-10 (5-9 CCIW).

Junior Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) was IWU's lone double-digit scorer in the contest. He posted 10 points with seven rebounds, four assists, and three blocks. Senior Karlo Colak (Glencoe, Ill.-New Trier) and sophomore Connor Williams (Palos Park, Ill.-Stagg) chipped in nine points apiece, while sophomore Noah Cleveland (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community) added seven points, eight boards, four assists, and two steals. All eight Titans that logged minutes in the game scored in the contest.

Illinois Wesleyan had to overcome a sluggish shooting night to earn the win. IWU converted 20-of-56 attempts from the field (35.7 percent) and knocked down 7-of-21 triples. The Green and White went 6-of-11 at the charity stripe. Millikin did not fare much better offensively, going 23-for-58 on the night (39.7 percent). The Big Blue made four three-pointers on 15 attempts, but hit 2-of-4 free throw tries.

The Green and White held a slight 37-36 edge on the glass, but turned in a 13-4 lead in second-chance scoring. IWU also collected leads in fastbreak scoring (2-0) and bench scoring (17-14), while MU led in points off turnovers (15-8) and points in the paint (28-26).

Funk scored the game's first buckets off an assist from Cleveland and junior Jackson Niego (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) followed with a layup to put the visitors up, 4-2, but the IWU offense slowed from there. The Titans endured a six-point Millikin spurt before Niego free throws ended the run, 8-6, but the Big Blue pieced together a 7-1 spurt to drive ahead, 15-7, with 13:29 on the clock.

Over the next three minutes, MU mustered just a three-pointer, while IWU put up nine points. The run began with a free throw from junior Brady Kuehl (St. Louis, Mo.-Parkway West) and closed with a layup from Cleveland to draw the Titans within two, 18-16, with 8:18 left in the half. 

Millikin broke the stretch with a layup, but Funk found senior David Williams (Peoria, Ill.-Peoria Notre Dame) for a three-pointer to trim the deficit to one, 20-19, but Illinois Wesleyan's offense stalled from there. A layup from Cleveland proved to be IWU's only other points of the half, as the Big Blue scored eight points over the final seven minutes of the period to hold a 28-21 lead at the break.

Millikin's lead ballooned to nine, 36-27, as Ron Rose called a timeout about four minutes into the half. 

Triples from Lawrence and Connor Williams drew the Titans within one, 36-35, as Rose's reset proved pivotal. After a layup from Funk off a Cleveland steal, IWU reclaimed the lead with 13:37 on the clock. Funk swatted a Big Blue shot attempt and Cleveland hauled in the rebound before hitting Connor Williams on the outlet. With Cleveland trailing, Connor Williams slipped a pass to the big-man for a dunk to inch the Titans ahead, 39-38.

Illinois Wesleyan endured a shooting spell that saw shot after shot off clank off the iron. The drought allowed Millikin to grab a 47-43 edge and brought about another timeout.

Once again, the reset proved timely as Funk found Connor Williams for a wing three out of the pause. Colak followed with a tough bucket in the paint to knot the game at 48 all with 5:15 to play. 

Millikin reclaimed the lead, 50-48, with a jumper by Lane Thomann at the 3:34 mark. The home team remained on top for nearly two minutes before Lawrence made the extra pass to make way for a Connor Williams three-pointer. The triple pushed the Green and White ahead by one, 51-50.

The Titans forced a turnover on the Big Blue's next possession and capitalized with a layup from Colak off a Cleveland dish out of a double team.  

An offensive rebound gave Millikin a second chance at points as Tionne Spates knocked down a putback to trim the IWU lead to one, 53-52, with 38 seconds to go. 

A foul put the Titans at the charity stripe, but the shot rimmed out and was pulled in by MU. With 25 seconds remaining, Millikin got off two shot attempts but both missed the mark as Illinois Wesleyan escaped with a 53-52 triumph.

IWU enjoys the weekend off before heading to Chicago for a date with North Park University. Tipoff inside Carlson Gymnasium is scheduled for 7 p.m.

 
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