Box Score
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Fifth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan outscored Augustana 39 to six from three-point range Wednesday night and defeated the 23rd-rated Vikings 84-69 at the Shirk Center. The loss drops Augustana to 15-6 overall and 5-5 in the CCIW, while the Titans improve to 17-3 on the year and 7-2 in the conference.
 
Viking sophomore Hunter Hill (Byron HS, Byron, Ill.) scored the game's first basket 1:15 into the action, but IWU's Andrew Ziemnik answered with the first of 13 Titan three-point field goals to give the hosts the lead for good. Jordan Nelson, who hit six of 12 treys on the night, pushed the margin to double digits for the first time (17-7) with a three at the 11:02 mark of the first half.

After Augustana's deficit reached 13, senior Kevin Schlitter (Maine South HS, Park Ridge, Ill.) scored five points in a 10-3 Viking run that got the visitors to within 31-25 with 5:19 left before halftime. However, hoops from Mike Marietti and Bryce Dolan and two more Nelson threes pushed IWU's lead to 41-25. The Titans eventually led 44-31 at the half.
 
The lead continued to grow in the second stanza, reaching 78-53 on a pair of Nelson free throws with 6:10 remaining. Augustana closed the contest on an 11-1 run which included four points each from sophomores Griffin Pils (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) and Brandon Motzel (Carmel HS, Buffalo Grove, Ill.) as well as a three-pointer from classmate Jake Norcia (Highland Park HS, Highland Park, Ill.).
 
Hill led the Vikings with 13 points. Tayvian Johnson (United Township HS, East Moline, Ill.) and Motzel added 11 each and Norcia chipped in nine points in just 11 minutes. Motzel's five rebounds tied Ben Ryan (Washington HS, Washington, Ill.) for team high. Augustana shot .367 (22 of 60) from the floor, .182 (two of 11) from three-point range and .821 (23 of 28) from the foul line.
 
Nelson had a game-high 25 points for Illinois Wesleyan, which shot .491 (28 of 57) from the floor including 13 of 26 (.500) from long range. The Titans outrebounded Augustana by a 40-37 margin.
 
The Vikings will try to get back on the winning track on Saturday, February 8 when they travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin to face Carthage. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.