McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team ended their season on March 14, 2025, with a loss to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The game took place at Mitchell Hall on UW-La Crosse's campus, where the Titans were defeated by the Eagles with a final score of 72-65.

Senior Hakim Williams and junior Karlo Colak led Illinois Wesleyan's offense, scoring 14 and 10 points respectively. Senior Nick Roper contributed seven points and secured nine rebounds for the team. Williams also achieved three blocks and two rebounds. Colak, Roper, sophomore Mason Funk, and freshman Josh Fridman each made two steals.

Illinois Wesleyan shot 40.9 percent from the field but struggled from beyond the arc with only six successful attempts out of 23 (26.1 percent). They had limited opportunities at the free throw line, making five out of nine shots. In contrast, UW-La Crosse capitalized on free throws, converting 19 out of 26 due to Illinois Wesleyan's 21 fouls.

The Eagles gained an edge in several areas: points in the paint (42-34), points off turnovers (13-12), and second-chance scoring (7-6). However, Illinois Wesleyan excelled in fastbreak scoring (16-6) and bench contributions (22-7).

Both teams were tied at 21 before a technical foul against Illinois Wesleyan gave UW-La Crosse a slight lead in the first half. Williams then helped regain momentum for his team with key plays that led to a four-point advantage by halftime.

In the second half, Illinois Wesleyan initially extended their lead with a strong run but was unable to maintain it as UW-La Crosse narrowed the gap significantly by scoring rapidly over a short period.

Ultimately, UW-La Crosse took control with less than five minutes remaining and maintained their lead until securing victory over Illinois Wesleyan. This game marked the conclusion of college basketball careers for seniors Hakim Williams, Trey Bazzell, Shane Miller, Nick Roper, Harrison Wilmsen, and Marko Anderson.