GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Wheaton's Tyler Peters led all players with a game-high 27 points on "Senior Night"
Wheaton, Ill. - Illinois Wesleyan defeated the Wheaton men's basketball team 97-88 on Saturday night in front of a near capacity crowd of 2,532 in King Arena. The Titans (22-3/12-2 CCIW) earned the outright CCIW Championship with tonight's win. Wheaton is now 17-8 on the season and 10-4 in CCIW play.
The Thunder will be the number-two seed next week in the CCIW Men's Basketball tournament in Bloomington, Illinois. Wheaton will take on third-seeded Augustana at 5 PM in a semifinal match next Friday and top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan will host Carthage at 7 PM. Friday's semifinal winners will play each other in the CCIW Tournament Championship Game on Saturday at 7 PM for the CCIW's automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament.
Illinois Wesleyan took an early 13-4 lead tonight, however, Wheaton responded with a 13-7 run to cut the Titans' lead to 20-17 with 11:35 remaining in the first half. Wheaton earned its first and only lead of the game with 5:25 remaining in the first half when
Joel Smith drained a three-pointer to give the Thunder a 31-30 lead. Illinois Wesleyan out-scored the Thunder 14-4 over the final 4:15 of the first half to give the Titans a 44-35 lead at halftime.
Illinois Wesleyan continued to extend its lead early in the second half, with the Titans' largest lead coming in a 17-point advantage at 56-39 with 17:00 left in the second half. The Titans led 75-65 with 8:10 remaining in regulation when a
Brayden Teuscher three-pointer cut the Titans' lead to seven points at 75-68. IWU missed on its next shot attempt and Teuscher made as layup to trim the guests' lead to 75-70 and he followed that up 35-seconds later with two free throws as seven consecutive points by Teuscher cut the IWU lead to 75-72 with 6:40 remaining in regulation.
The two teams continued to trade baskets, culminating with a basket by Wheaton's
Nate Haynes that made the score 80-77 in favor of the Titans with 3:55 remaining in regulation. Jordan Nelson scored for the Titans with 2:40 left in regulation to give IWU an 84-79 lead. The Titans led 85-80 with 1:54 remaining in the second half when the guests would go 4-for-4 at the free throw line on the next two possessions to increase the IWU lead to 88-80 with 1:40 left in regulation.
Thunder senior
Tyler Peters countered with a trio of free throws and the Titans' Dylan Overstreet made two at the charity stripe for a 90-82 lead with 32-seconds left in regulation. A layup and free throw by Overstreet increased the guests' lead to 93-83 with 23-seconds left in the game, locking up the win for the Titans.
Tyler Peters led all scorers with 27 points and he added eight rebounds with six assists. Teuscher scored 19 points and
Caleb DeMoss (PICTURED RIGHT)scored 15 points with six rebounds for the Thunder.
Nate Haynes scored 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the field. The Thunder senior added three assists and three blocked shots.
Tad Fisher scored nine points, with three assists.
Wheaton posted a 50.9% (28-55) field goal percentage, with 45.5% (10-22) from three-point range and 66.7% (22-33) at the free throw line. The Titans shot 54.7% (29-53) from the floor, with 55.6% (5-9) from behind the three-point arc and 79.1% (34-43) at the free throw line. Illinois Wesleyan held a 32-31 edge in rebounding and Wheaton owned an 11-9 advantage on the offensive glass.
Dylan Overstreet led Illinois Wesleyan with 21 points. Victor Davis scored 19 points, with 10 rebounds and Jordan Nelson Contributed 18 points off the Titans' bench. Nelson dished out five assists and Andrew Ziemnik added 16 points for the guests.
PHOTO GALLERY FROM SATURDAY'S GAME
