NAPERVILLE --- The final week before the Christmas holiday represented a historic high-water mark for College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men’s basketball, defined by national upsets and individual performances that rewrote program and conference benchmarks. 
 
CCIW teams delivered results that resonated nationally, reinforcing the league’s depth and competitive stature as the calendar turned toward the holiday break.
 
Cleveland Delivers the Defining Moment is St. Louis
Illinois Wesleyan authored one of the week’s signature results on Dec. 18, rallying from a late deficit to defeat fourth-ranked WashU, 78-76. Mason Funk’s buzzer-beating putback sealed the comeback and handed the Bears their first loss of the season, snapping a brief skid for the Titans. 
 
Sophomore Noah Cleveland powered the upset with a career-high 36 points on 13-of-20 shooting – the highest single-game total by an IWU player since 2015 – while adding 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the year in 38 minutes. Named CCIW Co-Student-Athlete of the Week, Cleveland’s performance reflected a broader season-long impact, as he enters the break leading the conference in both rebounding (11.4 rpg) and blocked shots (2.30 bpg).
 
History Made in Viking Blue
Sharing CCIW weekly honors was North Park senior guard Kolden Vanlandingham, who etched his name into the record books on Dec. 18 by recording just the eighth triple-double in CCIW history during a 108-86 win over Cornell . Vanlandingham finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, marking the first triple-double by a Viking in 29 years. 
 
The milestone capped a high-scoring stretch for North Park, which also defeated Greenville 138-117 behind a 32-point performance from freshman Marquis Vance. The Vikings’ four-game winning streak was halted last Sunday in a narrow 70-66 loss to No. 20 Wisconsin–Eau Claire, a game shaped by foul trouble and a decisive free-throw margin. Despite the setback, Vance led the team with 17 points and a career-high nine rebounds, as North Park continued to showcase its offensive balance entering the break.
 
Augustana Announces Itself on the National Stage
Augustana emerged as one of the nation’s hottest teams by sweeping the Wisconsin Dells Tournament with back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents. The Vikings rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to upset No. 8 Calvin, 64-60, on Dec. 19 behind 14 points from junior Cam Atkinson. 
 
One day later, Augustana claimed the tournament title with an 82-75 victory over No. 3 Wisconsin-La Crosse, fueled by 18 points from freshman Andre Klaver and a commanding 42-34 rebounding edge. The Vikings’ disciplined approach continues to set a league-wide standard, as they enter the break leading the CCIW in free-throw percentage (.736) and turnover margin (+3.0).
 
Efficiency and Volume Fuel Offensive Outbursts
Offensive fireworks and extreme efficiency defined several additional results during the week. Millikin delivered a 133-83 victory over Greenville on Dec. 19, shooting a season-high 65.1 percent from the field. Senior Nate Straughter headlined the performance with a career-high 33 points on 12-of-13 shooting, adding eight rebounds and four steals, and continues to lead the conference in free-throw percentage at 87.9 percent. 
 
Carthage matched that offensive punch as junior Riley Brooks tied the second-most single-game three-pointers in program history, knocking down nine shots from beyond the arc in a 31-point outing against Olivet. The Firebirds followed with a 78-58 win over Edgewood, where Chris Schlesinger provided a major spark off the bench with 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting.
 
Defense and Depth Round Out the Slate
Defensive intensity and individual milestones rounded out the pre-holiday slate for the remaining conference members. North Central freshman Ethan Marlowe recorded a career-high five blocks against Rhodes before the Cardinals rebounded with a 71-68 win over MUW, generating a season-high 15 steals and 32 points off turnovers. Alejandro Diaz led all scorers with 21 points in that contest and entered the break leading the CCIW in minutes played at 34.4 per game. 
 
Carroll secured a 75-67 win over Marian last Saturday behind 23 points from Michael McNabb, who went a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line to maintain his position as the league’s leading scorer. 
 
Elmhurst, despite a narrow 68-65 road loss at Coe, heads into the hiatus with a 7-3 record, paced by Dominic Trelenberg’s 17-point, seven-rebound effort.
 
Setting the Standard: League Leaders at the Break
As the conference enters the holiday pause, several individuals have emerged as statistical leaders across the CCIW. McNabb tops the league in scoring at 22.5 points per game, followed closely by North Park’s Mike Vuckovic at 20.5 … Cleveland leads the conference in rebounding at 11.4 per game, with Carthage’s Ryan Johnson close behind at 11.0 while also pacing the league with seven double-doubles. 
 
Vanlandingham continues to set the tempo league-wide, leading the CCIW in both assists (6.4 apg) and steals (2.18 spg) … Efficiency metrics are highlighted by Wheaton’s Carson Grier, who leads the conference in field-goal percentage at 65.3 percent, while Carroll’s Peyton McKenna leads the league in three-pointers made per game at 3.30.