The Illinois Wesleyan males’s basketball staff received the Faculty Convention of Illinois and Wisconsin match championship for the primary time in program historical past Friday evening, March 12, with a 71-58 victory over top-seeded and third-ranked Wheaton Faculty on the Thunder’s residence court docket. With the win, the No. 8-ranked Titans end the season 8-1 total, whereas the Thunder finish with a 12-1 mark.
5 Titans completed in double figures, led by junior Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis College HS) who completed the evening with a team-high 17 factors. He additionally led IWU with eight rebounds.
Junior Peter Lambesis (Mt. Prospect, In poor health.-St. Viator) scored 16 factors and added 4 rebounds and a team-high three steals, whereas junior Cory Noe (Mahomet, In poor health.-Mahomet-Seymour) and seniors Doug Wallen (Champaign, In poor health.-Champaign Central) and Charlie Bair (Glen Ellyn, In poor health.-Glenbard North) added 12, 11, and 10 factors, respectively.
Sophomore Luke Yoder (Bloomington, In poor health.-Central Catholic) registered 5 factors and dished out seven assists.
As a staff the Titans shot 49.1 % from the ground, hitting simply three triples. The Thunder completed 18-for-52 from the ground and 8-for-29 from three-point vary. The Titan protection turned 16 Wheaton turnovers into 18 factors. IWU dominated the paint, outscoring the Thunder 44-18, whereas additionally including a 9-0 edge in fastbreak factors.
The Titans managed the momentum early, jolting forward 15-4 over the primary 5 minutes. IWU’s run was fueled by lockdown protection as steals by Lambesis and Yoder led to straightforward buckets on the opposite finish.
| Photograph for lllinois Wesleyan athletics by Dave Naprstek |
Illinois Wesleyan’s offense cooled off although, as a five-minute lengthy scoring drought allowed Wheaton to even the rating at 15 all with 12:26 to go within the half.
IWU responded with a layup by Leritz and a three-ball by Bair to go up 5, however the Thunder used a three-pointer by Gavin Hawkins with 1:32 to play to take its first lead of the sport, 27-25.
After a pair of free throws by Wallen pulled IWU inside one, Leritz drove to the rim to beat the buzzer and provides the Titans a slim 28-27 benefit on the break.
Within the second half, it was Wheaton who received off to a scorching begin however Illinois Wesleyan battled to even the rating at 43 all with 13:21 to play.
A free throw put Wheaton up by one with 9:35 left to go, however Noe drove to the ring for a troublesome two because the Titans reclaimed the lead, 45-44.
Illinois Wesleyan upped its result in six, 54-48, as Yoder’s inbound cross led to a jumper from Noe with 6:22 remaining.
The Thunder trimmed the Titan result in as few as three, however IWU used a 12-3 run over the ultimate three minutes to assert the convention championship convincingly, 71-58.