BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The final home game of the Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team's regular season pits the 16th-ranked Titans against Elmhurst University Saturday evening, Feb. 7. IWU and EU are scheduled for a 7:15 p.m. tipoff inside the Shirk Center, with Senior Day festivities set to take place prior to game time.
Illinois Wesleyan enters the celebratory weekend sporting a 17-4 overall record. The Titans drove to 9-3 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin action with an 82-71 win over Wheaton College, Feb. 4. Elmhurst puts its five-game win streak on the line Saturday. The Bluejays hold a 14-6 standing on the season with a league ledger of 7-4. EU's trip to Shirk is the final stop of a three-game road stint, with Elmhurst coming off an 81-62 victory at Augustana College, Feb. 4.
Eric Stock and Joel Swanson 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.
SENIOR SEND OFF: The Titans will celebrate seniors David Williams, Nick Tingley, Karlo Colak, and Nathan Boldt prior to tipoff Saturday evening.
Over the past four years, the Green and White have amassed an 72-30 overall record and a 42-20 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin mark. IWU has won one CCIW Regular Season title a CCIW Tournament Championship, and made an NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2025.
ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE STUDENT-ATHLETES: At halftime, IWU will recognize its school record 16 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honorees from the 2024-25 academic year. Thirteen of the 15 individuals will return in person as Juney Bai (golf), Kannyn Boyd (volleyball), Annalese Chudy (cross country/track & field), Quinn Clifford (golf), Adriana Crabtree (track & field), Ava Khoury (softball), Jen Kuhn (softball), Macy Ludwig (golf), Mallory Powers (basketball), Griffin Pohl (golf), Sam Weinberg (lacrosse), Billy McHugh (lacrosse), Ernie Waterson (track & field) will receive their Academic All-America awards. Nick Roper (basketball) and Lauren Huber (basketball & track & field) will also be honored, but will not attend the recognition.
LONG DISTANCE LOVE: The Green and White were unstoppable from behind the arc in its win over Wheaton, Feb. 4. The Titans knocked down a season-high 17 three-pointers on 32 attempts, good for a 53.1 percent clip. IWU's 17 three-point makes are the most since converting 20 against Alma Nov. 17, 2017.
Leading the charge, Casen Lawrence drained 8-of-12 triple tries to finish with an IWU career-high 24 points. Lawrence's eight treys tied for the second-most in program history. Additionally, his eight triples are the most since Zach Knobloch hit 10 in the 2017 game against Alma. Joining in on the three-point party, Karlo Colak and Connor Williams made three apiece. Mason Funk, Jackson Niego, and David Williams added one each.
ARE WE EVEN SURPRISED AT THIS POINT?: Noah Cleveland continues to keep the #d3hoops world buzzing with his incredible play - and that was no different Wednesday, Feb. 4, as the rookie flirted with a triple-double against Wheaton. Fending off double and triple teams, Cleveland dished out a career-high nine assists alongside 12 point and a career-best 17 rebounds. The Normal, Ill. native, who previously held a career-high of four assists, tied that mark just 11 minutes in.
BATTLES WITH THE BLUEJAYS: Illinois Wesleyan holds a 119-30 advantage in the 149 all-time meetings between the Titans and Bluejays, and have won 14 of the past 21 contests between the two. However, Elmhurst has come out on top in five of the last eight meetings.
The Bluejays handed the Titans their first conference loss of the year in Elmhurst back in December. IWU put together a strong second half, but its comeback came up short, 67-66. Noah Cleveland put up 24 points and eight boards, while Mason Funk went for a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double.
FAMILIAR FACES: When the Titans take on the Bluejays Saturday, IWU fans may recognize a familiar face in Elmhurst bench boss John Baines. A 1998 Illinois Wesleyan graduate, he was a part of teams that compiled a 103-14 record, played in the NCAA Tournament four times, reached the Final Four twice, and won a Division III National Championship in 1997.
Baines is not the only former Titan hooper on the Bluejay staff as Shane Miller is in his first season coaching with EU. Miller graduated from IWU in May after his career as a Titan.
SUFFOCATING DEFENSE: The Titans have made it hard on opponents to score this season as IWU is limiting opponents to 66.3 points per game, good for 30th-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 (38.6) in the country.
IT'S A BLOCK PARTY: The Titans have not only been the best shot-blocking team in Division III with 143 blocks (6.8 bpg), but this year's squad is one of the greatest shot-altering squads in IWU history. Through 21 games, this year's total ranks as the third-most in program history. Additionally, IWU's 143 rejections are the most since the 1990-91 squad.
Individually, Mason Funk leads the CCIW and is 13th nationally with 47 blocks. Noah Cleveland has 41 to his name, second-most in the league and 23rd-most nationally. Brady Kuehl's 16 swats are sixth in the CCIW, with Nathan Boldt's 12 ranked 17th.
KEYS TO VICTORY: Through 21 games, IWU has established several keys to victory. Illinois Wesleyan is 15-1 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 12-1 when taking a lead into the half compared to 5-3 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 88 assists to 27 turnovers. His 3.26 assist-to-turnover ratio leads the CCIW and is ninth-best nationally.
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS: With 21 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 18.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per contest. He is shooting 59.2 percent from the field on the year and has added 41 blocks with 35 steals and 41 assists.
Nationally, he is second with 247 rebounds & third with 14 double-doubles. The rookie sits fifth in DIII in rebounds per game (11.8) and 23rd in blocks (41). He is a four-time CCIW Player of the Week, two-time D3hoops Team of the Week pick, & Bevo Francis Top-100 Watch List honoree.
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 326-70 record on their home floor (.823 win pct.).
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' 212 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.
BENCH BOSS: In his 20th season leading his alma mater, Ron Rose has compiled a 366-168 overall record. His career mark includes 197 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: Illinois Wesleyan kicks off a three-game stretch away from Shirk with a trip to Decatur Wednesday, Feb. 11. The Titans are scheduled to tip against the Big Blue at 7 p.m. inside the Griswold Center.
