McLean County Times

Twelve players from the Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team contributed to their victory over Elmhurst University, with a final score of 86-68. The game took place at the Shirk Center on Sunday afternoon. This win improved the Titans' record to 8-1 for the season and 2-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Elmhurst's record fell to 4-5 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

Sophomore Mason Funk led the Titans with a career-high of 20 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field and making three out of four attempts from beyond the arc. Seniors Hakim Williams and Harrison Wilmsen also scored in double figures, contributing 12 and 10 points respectively. Freshman Josh Fridman, starting for the first time, added eight points along with five assists.

The Titans displayed strong shooting efficiency, completing 32 out of 52 attempts for a field goal percentage of 61.5%. They made seven out of nineteen three-point shots and converted fifteen out of twenty-three free throws. Elmhurst shot twenty out of fifty-four (37%) but managed to stay competitive into halftime by hitting twelve three-pointers.

In terms of rebounds, Illinois Wesleyan had a slight edge at 34-28 but was behind in second-chance scoring due to Elmhurst's twelve offensive rebounds. The Titans dominated inside scoring with a significant advantage in points in the paint (46-10) and fastbreak points (17-0).

Illinois Wesleyan started strong with an early lead that expanded through various scoring runs throughout the game. Despite some resistance from Elmhurst, including a run that tied the game late in the first half, IWU regained control before halftime.

The second half saw Illinois Wesleyan maintain their lead as they executed an eighteen-point run that secured their victory. The Titans will next face No. 2 WashU at home on Thursday.