STAT REPORT
The latest CCIW men’s basketball statistics report through Wednesday, Dec. 18 can be viewed at this link.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (All times Central)
Thursday, Dec. 19
4:00 p.m. | Elmhurst vs. (RV) Randolph-Macon (Charlotte, N.C.)
7:00 p.m. | #2 WashU at #9 Illinois Wesleyan
7:00 p.m. | (RV) Carthage vs. Chatham (Nashville, Tenn.)
 
Friday, Dec. 20
9:00 a.m. | Carroll at UMass Dartmouth (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
3:00 p.m. | (RV) Carthage vs. Spalding (Nashville, Tenn.)
4:00 p.m. | Elmhurst vs. #18 Christopher Newport (Charlotte, N.C.)
7:00 p.m. | Concordia Chicago at North Central
 
Saturday, Dec. 21
11:00 a.m. | Carroll vs. Widener (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
3:00 p.m. | Augustana at Benedictine
 
IN THE POLLS
Illinois Wesleyan picked up an 18-point victory over a CCIW rival on Sunday as part of its rise in the most recent D3hoops.com poll, up one spot to #9 in the rankings released on Monday afternoon.
 
The Titans beat Elmhurst 86-68 at the Shirk Center to improve to 8-1 overall and 2-1 in the CCIW this season. It was the second consecutive victory for IWU.
 
IWU logged 427 points in Monday’s poll. Emory was the nation’s top-ranked squad with 612 points and 17 of 25 first-place votes. A big test awaits the Titans on Thursday when #2 WashU travels to Bloomington for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
 
Carthage earned 23 points in Monday’s rankings, fifth-most among unranked teams.
 
NATIONAL NOTABLES
Augustana fifth-year forward Tyler Knuth (Rockford, Ill.) is the Division III leader with a 97.4 free-throw percentage. Knuth also ranks 16th nationally with 3.33 3-pointers made per game and 20th nationally with a 47-6 3-point field goal percentage.
 
North Central senior guard Drew Gaston (Shabbona, Ill.) ranks 11th in Division III with a 95.1 free-throw percentage.
 
Wheaton sophomore guard Soren Richardson (Northfield, Minn.) ranks 21st in Division III with 82 field goals made. Richardson also ranks 23rd nationally with 51 free throws made.
 
AROUND THE CCIW
Augustana fifth-year forward Tyler Knuth (Rockford, Ill.) was one of 13 different Vikings to make a field goal in a 113-65 win over Knox on Wednesday in Rock Island. Knuth was 7-for-12 from the floor, 4-for-5 from 3-point range and 5-for-5 from the foul line to extend his season free-throw percentage to an NCAA-best 97.4 (37-for-38). Augustana (6-3, 1-2 CCIW) will visit Benedictine Saturday at 3 p.m.
 
Carroll junior guard Evan Bland (Saint Charles, Mo.) netted 12 points in last Saturday’s 68-66 setback at North Central. It was the seventh consecutive time Bland has scored in double figures in a reserve role this season, as well as the third time in his last five appearances he’s shot 63 percent or better from the floor with a minimum of eight attempts. The Pioneers (2-7, 0-3 CCIW) will be at the Cruzin’ Classic for two games in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., starting with Friday’s 9 a.m. CT contest against UMass Dartmouth.
 
Carthage sophomore guard/forward Ryan Johnson (Oswego, Ill.) was 6-for-8 from the field and 9-for-11 from the free-throw line to score 21 points and help the Firebirds take down Augustana on the road last Saturday, 82-70. Johnson also had six rebounds and a blocked shot in the victory and now ranks second in the league with 7.5 rebounds per contest. Carthage (7-2, 2-0 CCIW) has won five in a row and will next play Chatham (Thursday, 7 p.m.) and Spalding (Friday, 3 p.m.) in the Music City Classic in Nashville.
 
Elmhurst junior guard Sebastian Blachut (Wood Dale, Ill.) scored 11 points off the bench and made both of his 3-point attempts last Sunday in the Bluejays’ 86-68 loss at 10th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan. Blachut has had three assists or more five times this season and currently ranks seventh in the league with 2.78 assists per game. The Bluejays (4-5, 1-2 CCIW) will take part in the Jay Bilas Classic Thursday (vs. Randolph-Macon, 4 p.m. CT) and Friday (vs. #18 Christopher Newport, 4 p.m. CT).
 
Illinois Wesleyan sophomore guard Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.) connected on a career-best 20 points last Sunday to lead the Titans past Elmhurst at the Shirk Center, 86-68. Funk went 8-for-11 from the field, adding three rebounds, two blocked shots, two steals and two assists. His 13 blocked shots on the season are tied for second-most in the CCIW. IWU (8-1, 2-1 CCIW) hosts #2 WashU Thursday night at 7 p.m.
 
North Central graduate guard Ethan Helwig (Aurora, Ill.) earned CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week honors on Monday after notching 20 points and 11 rebounds in the Cardinals’ 68-66 league win over Carroll last Saturday in Naperville. Among his seven field goals was a game-winning bucket in the closing seconds that gave NCC its fifth win in its last six outings since Nov. 26. The Cardinals (8-2, 2-1 CCIW) will host Concordia Chicago Friday night at 7 p.m.
 
North Park senior guard TJ Gardner (Chicago, Ill.) led all scorers with 18 points in Wednesday’s 80-73 overtime victory over Lawrence. It was a new career high in points for Gardner, who has started the last six games and also established personal bests Wednesday with nine field goals made and 34 minutes played. Gardner ranks 10th in the CCIW with 1.50 steals per game. The Vikings (7-3, 3-0 CCIW) have won six games in a row since Nov. 26 and will be back on the hardwood on Saturday, Dec. 28 at Cornell at 3 p.m.
 
Wheaton senior guard Noah Hedrick (Indianapolis, Ind.) fell just shy of a double-double with 13 points and a career-high nine rebounds for the Thunder in their 78-75 loss to North Park last Saturday at King Arena. Hedrick was 6-for-10 from the floor and now has the league’s highest field-goal percentage at .547 (58-for-106). WC (3-8, 0-2 CCIW) is off until resuming CCIW play on Saturday, Jan. 4 versus Illinois Wesleyan at 7:15 p.m.
 

2024-25 CCIW Stat Leaders (Per Game Through 12/18)
Points	Richardson, WC	21.6
Rebounds	Helwig, NCC	7.6
FG %	Hedrick, WC	.547
Assists	Bond, MU	4.1
FT %	Knuth, AC	.974
Steals	Kelley, AC	2.89
3FG %	Knuth, AC	.476
3FG	Knuth, AC	3.33
Blocks	Wallace, NPU	1.60
A/TO Ratio	Nelson, NPU	2.50
Off. Rebounds	Naber, CU	3.22
Def. Rebounds	Helwig, NCC	6.90
Minutes	Helwig, NCC	35.1

 

Active CCIW Career Leaders (Totals Through 12/18)
Points	Helwig, NCC	1,118
Rebounds	Helwig, NCC	517
FG %	Thomann, MU	.469
Assists	Nesbitt, CC	267
FT %	Thomann, MU	.886
Steals	Steinike, CU	123
Blocks	Four players	32
A/TO Ratio	Nesbitt, CC	1.78
Off. Rebounds	Hamilton, AC	122
Def. Rebounds	Helwig, NCC	431
Minutes	Helwig, NCC	2,730