The Illinois Wesleyan University men’s basketball team, ranked 16th nationally, will travel to Decatur, Illinois, for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) matchup against Millikin University on Wednesday, February 11. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Griswold Center and is the first of three consecutive road games for the Titans as they conclude their regular season.
Illinois Wesleyan enters the contest with an 18-4 overall record and a three-game winning streak. The team improved its CCIW record to 10-3 after a 91-69 victory over Elmhurst University on February 7. Millikin, meanwhile, comes into the game following three straight losses and holds a conference record of 5-8 with an overall mark of 13-9.
Fans can follow the action through an audio-only broadcast by Eric Stock and Joel Swanson or via live stream on the CCIW Network. Live statistics will also be available on the men’s basketball page of iwusports.com.
Noah Cleveland has been a standout performer for Illinois Wesleyan this season. He recently scored 32 points in the win over Elmhurst and has earned five CCIW Player of the Week honors—a program record since the award’s inception in 2000-01. “The rookie averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in a week that resulted in two CCIW wins for the Titans,” according to team sources. Cleveland was also named to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week for the third time this season.
Cleveland’s contributions go beyond scoring. In a recent win over Wheaton College, he recorded nine assists despite being held to his second-lowest point total of the season due to defensive pressure. “Illinois Wesleyan is 6-1 when the Normal, Ill. native dishes out three or more assists,” team officials noted.
The Titans have demonstrated balanced scoring efforts throughout their campaign. Against Elmhurst, three players—Cleveland (32), Mason Funk (23), and Karlo Colak (21)—each scored more than 20 points. This marked only the second time this season that three Titans surpassed that threshold in one game.
With Josh Fridman sidelined by injury, Jackson Niego has assumed point guard duties and currently leads all CCIW players with a 3.14 assist-to-turnover ratio, which ranks him 13th nationally. “Illinois Wesleyan is at its best when Niego is dishing out dimes,” staff said. The team is 11-1 when Niego records four or more assists.
Historically, Illinois Wesleyan holds a significant advantage over Millikin with a series record of 164-77 dating back to their first meeting in 1910. The Titans have won nine of their last ten matchups against Millikin.
Defensively, Illinois Wesleyan has limited opponents to an average of 66.3 points per game—ranking them among Division III’s top programs in that category—and leads Division III with an average of nearly seven blocks per game this season.
Mason Funk leads both the conference and ranks among national leaders with his shot-blocking numbers; Noah Cleveland follows closely behind within both league and national rankings.
Team officials identified several keys to victory: “Illinois Wesleyan is 16-1 when scoring at least 60 points and remains undefeated when holding opponents under 59.” The Titans are also successful when leading at halftime compared to games where they trail or are tied at intermission.
Sophomore Noah Cleveland continues to make an impact nationally as well as within his own program: he averages nearly double-doubles each game while ranking among national leaders in rebounds and blocks.
After Wednesday’s contest at Millikin, Illinois Wesleyan will continue its road stretch with a trip to North Park University on February 18.
The Illinois Wesleyan Titans Men’s Basketball team participates in intercollegiate athletics from Bloomington, Illinois; it competes in home games on campus using green and white colors as part of its identity as “the Titans.” The program belongs to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and has captured NCAA Division III national championships in both 1997 and 2001. More information about schedules, results, and team history can be found on their official website.
