JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College men's basketball team made a big statement to the rest of the Midwest Conference on Saturday afternoon with a comeback win over Ripon College. The Blueboys trailed by six with nine minutes left, but took the lead for good with an 11-0 run and held on for an 87-83 victory. The victory snaps a 13-game losing streak for the Blueboys against the Red Hawks that dates back to the 2012-13 season and improves IC to 4-7 (2-2 MWC) on the season. Ripon falls to 6-5 (2-2 MWC) with the loss.
The game was close throughout, with neither team taking a double-digit lead the entire contest. Ripon led much of the way in the first half, but never by more than five.
Riley Mehrens was perfect from the floor and the charity stripe in the opening 20 minutes, keeping Illinois College close with 14 points. A three-pointer from Mehrens tied the game at 20-20 and that was followed by a layup from
Mikey Adams with 9:19 left in the half to give the Blueboys their first lead. IC's lead reached 38-33 on a
Hunter Ottensmeier triple before Ripon rallied to take a 45-42 lead at the intermission.
Trae Robinson III gave Illinois College its first lead of the second half at 58-56, but a strong stretch of play from the Red Hawks enabled them to open up a 71-65 lead on two free throws from David DeValk with just under nine minutes remaining.
Caleb Frederking was about a group of players who then checked into the contest and the sophomore scored seven points in an immediate 11-0 response from the Blueboys to rally back for a 76-71 edge. IC continued to surge, taking its largest lead at 82-74 with less than five minutes remaining on a bucket from Robinson III.
Less than two minutes later, Ripon had Illinois College's lead down to one but the Blueboys didn't blink.
Deandre Enoch put IC back ahead by three and IC played lockdown defense on the Red Hawks in the closing stages. Ripon missed its final four field goal attempts and turned the ball over with seven seconds left trailing by two. Mehrens canned a pair of free throws on the ensuing inbounds play to put Illinois College up by four to seal it.
Mehrens ended with a game-high 19 points on the afternoon. Enoch added 18 and grabbed six boards. Frederking came off the bench for 10.
Illinois College will travel to De Pere, Wis. on Jan. 8 to battle the conference leaders, St. Norbert College (9-2, 4-0 MWC), at 5:30 p.m.
