McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team secured a victory against North Park University, concluding their home games for the 2024-25 regular season. The game, held at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, ended with an 87-81 win for the Titans on February 19. This victory advances Illinois Wesleyan to a record of 20-4 overall and 12-3 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), while North Park's record stands at 14-11 overall and 9-7 in CCIW play.

Key players for the Titans included seniors Harrison Wilmsen, Trey Bazzell, and Nick Roper. Wilmsen led with 17 points and seven rebounds. Bazzell contributed 16 points, including four three-pointers. Roper added 12 points along with four rebounds and seven assists. Additional contributions came from sophomore Mason Funk and freshman Josh Fridman, each scoring ten points.

Both teams maintained shooting percentages above fifty percent during the game. Illinois Wesleyan shot 50.8 percent from the field, converting on ten out of twenty-seven three-point attempts and making thirteen out of seventeen free throws. North Park completed over half of their shots as well, going eight-for-twenty-four from beyond the arc.

North Park initially took control midway through the first half but was soon challenged by a three-pointer from Bazzell that narrowed their lead to four points at 17-13. A series of plays by Roper and others helped IWU gain a slight edge before halftime with a score of 50-46.

In the second half, layups by Roper and Fridman expanded IWU's lead to double digits early on. Despite a final push from North Park that brought them within six points near the end of regulation time, Fridman's successful free throws sealed Illinois Wesleyan's win.

Illinois Wesleyan will conclude its regular season schedule against Augustana College on February 22 in Rock Island as part of a doubleheader event alongside their women's basketball team.