The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team outlasted the University of Chicago in overtime Tuesday night, Dec. 20, in non-conference action at the Ratner Athletic Center. The Titans (6-4) downed the Maroons (7-4), 67-63, as IWU's Ron Rose secured career win No. 300.
A balanced offensive effort saw four Titans hit double-digit points. Senior Lucas Heflen (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) led the way with 16 points, while junior Ryan Sroka (Lake in the Hills, Ill.-Huntley) put up 15 points and eight rebounds. Senior Cody Mitchell (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) tallied 14 points, seven of which came at the free throw line, and tied Sroka for the team-lead with eight boards. Rounding out the double-digit scorers was sophomore Hakim Williams (Round Lake, Ill.-Round Lake). The sophomore guard finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a stat-stuffing showing.
As a team, the Titans shot 41 percent from the floor (25-for-61) and went 7-for-21 from three-point range. IWU was 10-of-16 at the charity stripe, with Mitchell going 7-for-9 at the line. The Maroons, who also saw four players score 10+ points, went 21-for-62 from the floor (33.9 percent). UC converted 7-of-35 three-point tries, and finished 14-for-18 at the free throw line.
IWU pulled in 45 rebounds to UC's 38, including 12 on the offensive end. The Green and White also owned a 12-11 edge in assists, 9-8 lead in fast break points, and a 15-7 advantage in second chance points.
Leading 8-7 in the early goings, back-to-back buckets by sophomore Trey Bazzell (Fairbury, Ill.-Prairie Central) and Heflen put the Titans up by five with about 15 minutes to go in the opening half.
A tough driving layup by Williams was followed by a signature pull-up jumper from Sroka as IWU ran its lead to seven, 18-11.
The Maroons made the most out of eight trips to the free throw line and knocked down several key shots to battle back and even the score at 26 all. Chicago reclaimed the lead for the first time since the opening minute with a three-ball with 5:15 left until halftime, but junior Evan Schneider (St. Louis, Mo.-Ladue) gave Illinois Wesleyan a slim lead at the break. With the Green and White holding for the final shot, Schneider hauled in an offensive rebound and stuck the putback at the buzzer to provide IWU with a 31-30 lead at the game's midpoint.
The Green and White came out strong in the second half, as Sroka and Williams hit key shots to lift IWU to a 35-30 lead.
The five-point advantage was short lived though, as UC went on a 7-1 run to stake a 37-36 lead. The momentum shift brought on a Titan timeout with 16:24 to play.
Sophomore Harrison Wilmsen (St. Louis, Mo.-Priory) turned things in favor of the Green and White with a three-pointer off a baseline out of bounds. The triple, which came around the 14-minute mark, pushed IWU ahead, 39-36.
The game remained tight down the stretch as Sroka erased a 55-53 Chicago advantage with a pair of free throws.
With the game tied at 55, the Maroons made the most of an offensive rebound to take the lead late. Illinois Wesleyan responded with two free throws from Mitchell to knot the game at 57 all before IWU forced a UC turnover with nine seconds to play.
The miscue allowed Illinois Wesleyan a chance to win the game in regulation, but the game-winning attempt was off the mark.
The Green and White wasted little time taking control in OT, as Mitchell hit Sroka for a three-ball from the wing and Heflen converted a hook shot to give IWU a five-point cushion, 62-57. The strong start brought about a Chicago timeout. The reset proved timely as UC hit a three to trim the Titan lead to two, but Mitchell hit a three-pointer and a free throw to extend the advantage to six, 66-60.
Chicago made another late push, draining a three-pointer to make it a one possession game, but Illinois Wesleyan escaped with a 67-63 victory.
Illinois Wesleyan now takes an extended break off for the holidays before jetting out to the Pacific Northwest before the New Year, Dec. 29-30. There, IWU will take on Linfield and George Fox in a pair of non-conference road bouts.
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