BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - For the first time since 2022, NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Regional action returns to Shirk Center this Friday-Saturday, March 6-7, as the 10th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team plays host to the first two rounds. The Titans will battle Heidelberg University at 6:40 p.m. inside Shirk Friday night, March 6, with John Carroll University and Grinnell College set to face off in the 4:10 p.m. contest.
Illinois Wesleyan enters the national tournament with a 23-4 overall standing. The Titans won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin regular season and tournament championships for the first time in program history. IWU dispatched Elmhurst University, 69-59, in overtime to secure the program's second league tournament title. Heidelberg travels east with a 16-12 record. The Student Princes punched their ticket to the field as Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Champions, knocking off the the top-two seeds in the process. John Carroll is 22-6 overall and won its league tournament. The Blue Streaks blew through the North Coast Athletic Conference to earn the league's automatic bid. Grinnell, winners of the Midwest Conference, bring a 22-3 record to Bloomington and are riding a 12-game win streak.
Eric Stock and Joel Swanson will call the weekend's action on the NCAA Champs Pass. Live stats will also be available. Links can be found on the men's basketball page of iwusports.com.
POSTSEASON PLAY AT SHIRK: The NCAA Tournament returns to the Shirk Center this weekend, March 6-7, for the first time since IWU's 2022 tournament run. The Titans hosted the first four rounds of the tournament that season, defeating Franklin (73-55), UW-La Crosse (65-56), and Wheaton (77-73). The Green and White were halted in the Elite Eight, 81-75, at the hands of Wabash.
MADE FOR MARCH: The Titans will make the program's 36th all-time postseason appearance, including the 28th in the NCAA Division III Tournament. IWU boasts a 59-27 record in the Division III tournament since first qualifying for it in 1984.
Of the 64 teams in the field, no school has made more postseason appearances or won more NCAA Tournament games than IWU. Info courtesy @BQuillmanQcast.
STRONG ON BOTH SIDES: Illinois Wesleyan was one of 23 schools across Division III to have both its men's and women's basketball teams competing in the NCAA Tournament this season. In fact, IWU's combined history ranks the Titans among the top in Division III. In research compiled by former WashU SID Chris Mitchell, the Titans enter the weekend with 82 combined wins - the fifth-most in Division III.
NICE TO MEET YOU!: The Titans will face off against Heidelberg for the first time in program history Friday evening. Despite not squaring off with the Student Princes, this will be Heidelberg's second trip to the Shirk Center. The Student Princes traveled to Bloomington for the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Moreover, IWU has played just one game total against this weekend's field with the meeting coming in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. That game, which also took place in the Shirk Center, saw the Titans race past Grinnell, 132-91. IWU set the program's single-game record for points and free throws made in the contest. John Camardella and Luke Kasten led the way with 22 and 20 points, respectively. Chris Silagi poured in 21 points off the bench, while Illinois Wesleyan saw six players hit double-figures.
EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT: The Titans required overtime to top Elmhurst Saturday night, Feb. 28, and claim the CCIW Tournament Championship. It marked IWU's second OT game of the season and the first in a CCIW Tournament Championship game in league history. Illinois Wesleyan has played 40 overtime contests since the 2000-01 season, compiling a 23-17 record over that span.
FUNK RISING THE CHARTS: Mason Funk, who would have been a lock for CCIW Defensive Player of the Year if the award existed, became the first player in conference history to lead the league in blocks and steals in the same season in more than 15 years. Funk's noteworthy defensive season does not stop there though, as the junior has posted 65 blocks this season - the second-most in single season program history. He is 10 off the record held by David Caldwell (1990-91). Meanwhile, his 49 steals are tied for sixth-most alongside Bryan Crabtree's 1996-97 season total. Todd Wente (2000-01) and Eliud Gonzlez (2011-12) are tied for fourth with 50 each.
For his career, Funk has rejected 121 shots. He stands 19 behind Caldwell's mark of 141.
KEYS TO VICTORY: Through 27 games, IWU has established several keys to victory. Illinois Wesleyan is 20-1 when scoring 60+ points, and also boasts a 8-0 mark when limiting opponents to no more than 59 points. Additionally, the Green and White is 16-1 when taking a lead into the half compared to 7-3 when trailing or tied at the break.
NIEGO, WE GO: Jackson Niego has emerged as one of the top orchestrators in Division III. Niego has served as a steady hand all season long with 103 assists to 34 turnovers. His 3.03 assist-to-turnover ratio leads the CCIW and is ninth-best nationally.
IT'S A BLOCK PARTY: The Titans have not only been the best shot-blocking team in Division III with 186 blocks (6.9 bpg), but this year's squad is one of the greatest shot-altering squads in IWU history. Through 27 games, this year's total ranks as the most in program history, breaking the mark set by the 1987-88 squad.
Individually, Mason Funk leads the CCIW and is eighth nationally with 70 blocks. Noah Cleveland has 43 to his name, second-most in the league and 45th-most 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' 216 appearances in the weekly poll are fifth-most all-time as well as the most in the CCIW. They are currently ranked No. 10 in the poll.
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 329-70 record on their home floor (.823 win pct.).
