BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois College men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 71-67 decision to 16th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan in the opening round of the Jack Sikma Hall of Fame Invitational on Friday at the Shirk Center
IC is now 2-1 in the young season. This was the Titans' season opener.
IWU 71 IC 67
The contest was tight for the full 40 minutes as it featured six lead changes and five ties. The Titans held the advantage for the first 20 minutes, leading by as much as 12 (32-20) with 5:53 to play in the half before the Blueboys came storming back. IC went on a 15-4 run to close out the period and trailed by 1 (36-35) at the break.
The Titans continued to hold off the Blueboys' challenge until IC took its first lead of the game (49-48) with 12:46 to go on a
Ty Lenhardt three-pointer. The lead then bounced back and forth for the ensuing six-plus minutes before IWU took a lead it would not relinquish with 6:36 to play. IC was able to whittle the Titan advantage to three but could get no closer.
Lenhardt led the IC offense with 23 points while grabbing a team-high seven rebounds.
Isayah Kloster scored 13 points with six rebounds, and
Connor Brown chipped in with 10 points.
Andrew Thomas also collected seven boards for the Blueboys.
Blue Notes
IC has won 67 of its past 81 (67-14) games… the tournament is being played at the alma mater of IC Head Coach
Steve Schweer, who helped the Titans twice advance to the Sweet Sixteen and reach the Final Four in his senior season of 2005-06.
Up Next
The Blueboys will conclude the Sikma Invitational tomorrow when they face another nationally-ranked foe in No. 21 Maryville, who fell to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 94-91, in the evening's first contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Shirk Center.
