McLean County Times

Men's basketball teams from Illinois Wesleyan University and Elmhurst University are set to face off in a rematch of last season's College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Championship. The game will take place at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois, on Sunday, December 15, with a scheduled tipoff at 4 p.m.

Illinois Wesleyan enters the matchup ranked 10th nationally and recently secured a victory against Carroll University on December 7, improving their season record to 7-1. This win also brought their CCIW standing to 1-1. Elmhurst holds an identical conference record after defeating Wheaton College, leveling their overall record at 4-4.

Fans can follow the game through live streaming and stats available online. Additionally, Eric Stock and Joel Swanson will provide radio commentary on WESN.

Historically, Illinois Wesleyan has dominated this matchup with a 117-29 lead in all-time meetings. However, Elmhurst has been victorious in four of the last five encounters between the two teams. In their previous meeting during the CCIW Tournament Championship on February 24, Elmhurst defeated top-seeded Illinois Wesleyan with a score of 68-64.

Elmhurst's head coach John Baines is an Illinois Wesleyan alumnus who graduated in 1998. He was part of teams that achieved significant success during his time as a player.

The Titans have relied heavily on their senior players this season. Nick Roper leads the team with an average of 15.9 points per game, ranking fifth in the conference. Other key contributors include Hakim Williams and Harrison Wilmsen.

Freshman point guard Josh Fridman has emerged as a promising player for Illinois Wesleyan this season. In his first two conference games, he has averaged nine points per game with an impressive shooting percentage.

Head coach Ron Rose continues to lead Illinois Wesleyan in his eighteenth season with an overall record of 332-159 and notable achievements within the CCIW.

Defensively, Illinois Wesleyan has been strong this season, limiting opponents to low shooting percentages and scoring averages that rank them among Division III's best defensive teams.

In recognition of their contributions to basketball, both Ron Rose and his son Brady Rose have been named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame class for 2025.

Looking ahead, Illinois Wesleyan will remain at home for another game before taking a break for the holidays. They are scheduled to play against WashU on Thursday, December 19.