McLean County Times

Illinois Wesleyan University Athletic Department issued the following announcement on Dec. 19

The fourth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team was bested by the Bears of Washington University in St. Louis, 71-61, in non-conference action Sunday, Dec. 19. The Titans dipped to 8-2 overall with the setback, while the Bears (9-1) ran their win streak to eight games.

Seniors Peter Lambesis (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect), Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour), and Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) led the Titans. Lambesis scored a team-high 17 points, while Noe finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Leritz was IWU's top rebounder, grabbing nine boards, while totaling 12 points and three assists.

As a team, Illinois Wesleyan shot 41.9 percent (26-for-62) from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 23.5 percent from three-point range (4-for-17). The Titans also garnered just seven free throw attempts, where the Green and White converted five times (71.4 percent). WashU was efficient from the floor, finishing 27-for-54 (50 percent) from the floor. The Bears also drilled seven three-pointers on 21 attempts (33.3 percent), while going 10-for-12 at the free throw line.  

The Green and White held a 29-26 rebounding advantage, and outscored the Bears in the paint, 40-34. IWU also held a 11-10 edge in bench points, with junior Lucas Heflen (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) scoring seven. The Bears won the turnover battle, as the Titans committed 13 turnovers to WashU's 10.

Illinois Wesleyan held a slim lead early on, but WashU took a 13-11 lead on a Kevin Davet dunk with 14:58 to play in the opening half.

The Bears stretched their lead to as many as 10, before sending the Titans to the break down 38-30.

In the second half, a steal and score by junior Luke Yoder (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) trimmed what was once a 17-point WashU lead to six, 65-59, with 1:20 to go.

After the Bears responded with a dunk, Heflen found Lambesis for a layup to keep the deficit at six with one minute remaining, but WashU closed out the game at the free throw line.

Illinois Wesleyan takes an extended break before returning to action in New York City, Dec. 29-30. Next up for the Titans is a 1 p.m. ET tipoff at Mt. St. Vincent, Dec. 29. IWU will then take on No. 1 Yeshiva, Dec. 30, at 8 p.m. ET.

Original source can be found here.