Wheaton, Ill. – The 11^th-ranked Wheaton Thunder men's basketball team closed out its 2021-22 regular season schedule on Saturday night by hosting Millikin University. The Thunder never trailed in earning a convincing 88-63 victory against the Big Blue (14-11, 9-7 CCIW). As the final game of the regular season for Wheaton it was 'Senior Night", and the men's basketball program honored its five seniors: Nyameye Adom, Cade Alioth, Luke Anthony, Blake Foley and Collin Uveges prior to tonight's tipoff.

Wheaton improves to 20-5 with tonight's victory, with a 12-4 record in CCIW play. The 20-win mark for this season is the 18^th time in program history that Wheaton has achieved 20 wins in a season, and the fifth 20-win season under head coach Mike Schauer. Tonight's victory secures the No. 2 seed for Wheaton in next week's CCIW Men's Basketball Tournament. As the No. 2 seed, the Thunder receive a bye for Tuesday night's opening round games. Wheaton will face the winner of Tuesday's opening round matchup between No. 3 seed Elmhurst and No. 6 Augustana in Elmhurst on Friday night in a semifinal contest at Illinois Wesleyan's Shirk Center.

Tyson Cruickshank had a standout performance tonight in the victory against the Big Blue with 28 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field, including 4-for-6 from three-point range. Cruickshank distributed a career-high nine assists. And collected five rebounds. Senior Nyameye Adom made three three-pointers as he scored 23 points with four rebounds and two assists. Cade Alioth had a strong effort tonight with 18 points, 17 rebounds, and four assists. Nick Schiavello scored seven points in a starting role for the hosts.

Wheaton posted a 53.4% (31-of-58) field goal percentage, including 42.3% (11-of-26) from three-point range in tonight's victory. The Big Blue shot 44.7% (21-of-47) from the field, including 14.3% (1-of-7) behind the three-point arc. Wheaton shot 68.2% (15-of-22) at the free throw line, while Millikin shot 76.9% (20-for-26) behind the three-point arc. Wheaton out-rebounded the guests 34-18, including an 8-5 edge on the offensive glass. Millikin committed 12 turnovers, while the Thunder had just five tonight as Wheaton out-scored the Big Blue 12-2 off turnovers.

Millikin's first field goal came seven-and-a-half minutes into the contest as Wheaton jumped out to a 15-4 lead with 12:28 remaining in the first half. Cruickshank scored eight of Wheaton's first 14 points.
Wheaton's largest lead of the first half was a 21-point bulge on three occasions, including the 51-30 halftime lead that the hosts held. Cruickshank scored 20 first-half points, on 7-of-8 shooting from the floor, including a perfect 4-for-4 effort behind the arc. He also added five assists in the first half. Alioth scored 12 points, with 12 rebounds in the first half, adding three assists. Adom scored 11 points, with two assists. Drake Stevenson led Millikin with 11 first-half points off of the Big Blue bench.

The Thunder maintained a 20-plus point lead in the second half as the hosts' largest lead of the game was a 31-point bulge at 87-56 with 3:33 left in the game when Andrew Williams drained a three-pointer.
Adom scored a team-high 12 points in the second half, with three rebounds. Cruickshank sored eight points with four assists. Alioth contributed six points with five rebounds.

Stevenson and Scott Gowan each scored 13 points to lead Millikin. Calvin Fisher tallied eight points, and Cole Laurence registered seven points.

Note Worthy: Adom moved into 14^th place on Wheaton's all-time scoring list tonight with 1,523 career points…the senior is also 13^th in program history with 274 assists….Cruickshank moved into 38^th place on Wheaton's career scoring list (1,124), he is 15^th on the all-time assists list (257) and moved into a tie for 10^th place with Rob Hamann on the all-time three-pointers list (162)…Alioth is ninth on Wheaton's all-time rebounds list with 734 career boards.