ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – For the second time in as many CCIW games this year, Augustana went to overtime on Sunday, but the results weren't what the 23rd-ranked Vikings were hoping for this time. Frigid shooting cost them in a 74-67 setback to Illinois Wesleyan at Carver Center. Coach Grey Giovanine's club fell to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in the league, while the visiting Titans improved to 7-2 on the season and 2-1 in the conference.
 
Augustana trailed 51-45 with 11 minutes remaining in regulation, but a Micah Martin (Iowa City HS, Iowa City, Iowa) free throw and an Austin Elledge (Highland HS, Highland, Ill.) three-pointer trimmed the deficit to two and it would stay a one-possession game for the last 9:44.
 
The Vikings tied it at 52-all when Pierson Wofford (Springfield HHS, Springfield Lutheran HS) split two free throws with 6:38 left and took a 53-52 lead when he did the same at the 5:59 mark. They struggled to put any distance between themselves and IWU though, due in part to a 4-for-10 stretch at the charity stripe. There were another three lead changes and three more ties before Martin hit the second of two free throws with six seconds on the clock to tie it again at 61-all. Titan Grant Wolfe's three-pointer from the left wing at the buzzer was off the mark, necessitating overtime.
 
The hosts drew first blood in the extra session, as Martin split two free throws, blocked a shot on the defensive end and converted a Jack Jelen (Bay HS, Bay Village, Ohio) lob into a layup that put his team up 64-61 with 3:48 to play.
 
Wolfe answered with a layup and after an IWU defensive stop, Charlie Bair hit his first three-pointer of the season to give the Titans a lead (66-64) they wouldn't relinquish. After two empty possessions for each team, Bair's layup made it 68-64 and Wolfe drained two free throws with 21 seconds left to push the lead to 70-64. Wofford's three-pointer got Augustana to within a possession, but Wolfe iced the game with four more freebies in the final seven seconds.
 
There were four ties and four lead changes in the first eight minutes of the game, but a Jelen jumper snapped at 18-all deadlock and sparked a 14-4 Viking run. Elledge hit a pair of mid-range jumpers in the spurt, which was capped by a Jack McDonald (Geneva HS, Geneva, Ill.) trey that gave the Vikings a 32-22 advantage with just under three minute left before halftime.
 
IWU answered with a 12-2 run to close the half however, pulling even at 34-all. A pair of Corey Noe three-pointers keyed the Titan push.
 
The first 7½ minutes of the second half saw two ties and four lead changes before IWU scored eight straight points to go up 51-45.
 
After shooting 59 percent from the field in its previous five games, Augustana converted just 23 of 65 (.354) on Sunday, including nine of 31 (.290) after halftime. The Vikings also hit just seven of 29 (.241) from beyond the arc and 14 of 23 (.609) from the foul line. They limited the Titans to .393 shooting from the floor, but IWU knocked down 11 of 20 (.550) from three-point range and 15 of 18 (.833) from the free throw line. Augustana had a 46-42 advantage on the boards and each team committed 13 turnovers.
 
Individually, Wofford had game highs of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Elledge added 15 points and Martin finished with a line of 11 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots. Lucas Simon (Notre Dame HS, Chicago, Ill.) added nine points, four boards and two blocks. Wolfe led IWU with 14 points and seven rebounds and Bair chipped in with 13 points. Three Titans added nine points apiece.
 
Giovanine's bunch will play eight of its next nine on the road, starting with a date at 18th-ranked Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Sunday, December 22. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.