McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team has moved up two places to seventh in the latest D3hoops.com Top-25 poll. The team was one of five to receive first-place votes, accumulating a total of 444 points.

In a poll marked by significant changes, UW-Platteville advanced from fifth place to claim the top spot with 601 points and 15 first-place votes. Emory, with two first-place votes and 580 points, ranks second, followed by Trine in third place with five first-place votes and 572 points. New York University holds fourth place with two first-place votes and 527 points. WashU and Trinity (Conn.) are ranked fifth and sixth respectively.

Illinois Wesleyan's record stands at 11-2, including victories over top-ranked UW-Platteville (86-66) and fifth-ranked WashU (84-68). The Titans have won five out of their last six games, suffering their only loss during this period against Mary Hardin-Baylor on December 30th by a narrow margin of 78-77. Most recently, they defeated Wheaton in overtime on January 4th.

The team is preparing for an upcoming game against North Park University on January 8th in Chicago. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

The D3hoops.com Top-25 poll is compiled weekly based on the votes of a panel consisting of coaches, Sports Information Directors, and media members nationwide. Points are allocated on a descending scale starting from 25.