STAT REPORT
The latest CCIW men’s basketball statistics report through Thursday, Feb. 13 can be viewed at this link.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (All times Central)
Saturday, Feb. 15
4:15 p.m. | Millikin at #13 Illinois Wesleyan
4:15 p.m. | Wheaton at (RV) Carthage
4:15 p.m. | Augustana at Carroll
4:15 p.m. | Elmhurst at North Park
 
Wednesday, Feb. 19
7:00 p.m. | North Park at #13 Illinois Wesleyan
7:00 p.m. | Elmhurst at (RV) Carthage
7:00 p.m. | North Central at Carroll
7:00 p.m. | Wheaton at Augustana
 
IN THE POLLS
Illinois Wesleyan remained the lone CCIW men’s basketball squad in the new D3hoops.com national rankings released on Monday. The Titans were 13th in the weekly poll and had 321 points in the new rankings.
 
Carthage received 35 points in Monday’s poll, the highest total among unranked teams and just five points outside the top 25.
 
CCIW AND THE NPI
New to Division III men’s basketball in 2024-25, the NCAA Power Index (NPI) is a system that houses the division’s statistical data and objectively applies the selection criteria to the data based on the sport committee’s established weighted criteria. The rankings are used to select at-large teams for NCAA Championships.
 
The latest NPI rankings, including games through Feb. 9, were released by the NCAA this week.
 
11. Illinois Wesleyan
17. Carthage
53. North Park
64. Augustana
74. North Central
117. Elmhurst
149. Millikin
256. Carroll
289. Wheaton
 
NATIONAL NOTABLES 
Augustana graduate forward Tyler Knuth (Rockford, Ill.) ranks 12th in Division III with a 90.2 free-throw percentage. Knuth also ranks 19th nationally with 3.09 3-pointers made per game.
 
Carroll senior guard Erik Victorson (Oregon, Wis.) ranks 13th in Division III with 3.23 3-pointers made per game.
 
Wheaton sophomore guard Soren Richardson (Northfield, Minn.) ranks 13th in Division III with 22.7 points per game. Richardson also ranks 23rd nationally with 174 field goals made.
 
Carthage junior guard AJ Johnson (Oswego, Ill.) ranks 16th in Division III with an 89.8 free-throw percentage. Johnson also ranks 21st nationally with 115 free throws made.
 
North Central senior guard Drew Gaston (Shabbona, Ill.) ranks 20th in Division III with an 89.2 free-throw percentage.
 
AROUND THE CCIW
Augustana graduate forward Tyler Knuth (Rockford, Ill.) converted six 3-pointers into a 22-point performance when the Vikings won at Millikin last Saturday, 74-52. Knuth also finished the contest with eight rebounds and a blocked shot and will enter the regular season’s final two weeks as the league’s second-ranked scorer with 17.8 points per game this season. Augie (14-8, 7-6 CCIW) has won four in a row, owns fourth place in the league standings and will travel to Carroll Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
Carroll senior guard Kobe Simpson (Spokane, Wash.) scored in double figures for the seventh time in his last eight starts, netting 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting to help the Pioneers to a 90-84 win at North Park on Tuesday. Simpson, one of five Pios to score at least 10 points in the victory, also handed out five assists Tuesday and now ranks eighth among CCIW players with 2.64 assists per game this season. Carroll (7-15, 3-10) will be back home Saturday for a 4:15 p.m. tip-off against Augustana.
 
Carthage sophomore guard Riley Brooks (Ripon, Wis.) led all scorers with 23 points to push the Firebirds past then-second-ranked Illinois Wesleyan last Saturday in Kenosha, 85-74. The performance lifted his season scoring average to 15.1 points per contest, seventh on the CCIW leaderboard. Brooks also played 33 minutes in the victory and has played 30 minutes or more in his last 12 starts. The Firebirds (17-5, 11-2 CCIW) have a one-game lead for the top spot in the CCIW race and will host Wheaton Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
Elmhurst freshman forward Vinnie Adjahoungbeta (Moline, Ill.) set or equaled new career highs with 10 points, three 3-pointers and 31 minutes in the Bluejays’ 60-58 loss at Augustana on Thursday. Adjahoungbeta also had 10 rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot for his second career double-double – both in appearances off the bench. Elmhurst (10-12, 6-7 CCIW) is in fifth place in the current CCIW standings and is on the road again Saturday for a 4:15 p.m. start at North Park.
 
Illinois Wesleyan senior guard Nick Roper (St. Louis, Mo.) notched his second double-double of the campaign with 15 points and a career-high 11 boards for the Titans in their 85-74 loss at Carthage last Saturday. Roper ranks fourth among CCIW scorers this season with 16.1 points per contest and became the eighth active CCIW player to go over 800 career points after last weekend’s performance. IWU (18-4, 10-3) is in second place in the conference standings and hosts Millikin Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
Millikin junior guard Chase Travis (Olney, Ill.) recorded 11 points, eight rebounds and matched a career best with three steals in MU’s 86-78 loss to Wheaton on Wednesday. All eight of his rebounds came at the defensive end, helping the Big Blue limit the Thunder to just six offensive boards and nine second-chance points. Millikin (11-12, 5-9 CCIW) is one game out of the final CCIW Tournament berth and will be on the road Saturday at 4:15 against Illinois Wesleyan.
 
North Central senior guard Drew Gaston (Shabbona, Ill.) erupted for a career-high 25 points on a 9-for-13 performance from the floor to lead the Cardinals past North Park last Saturday in Naperville, 86-81. Gaston made all four of his free throws in the win, raising his season percentage to 89.2 (74-for-83), third-best among CCIW players. NCC (13-10, 6-8 CCIW) is currently in the sixth and final spot in the CCIW Tournament and will play its last two games on the road, starting next Wednesday at Carroll at 7 p.m.
 
North Park senior guard Lance Nelson (Cottage Grove, Wis.) provided 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the Vikings’ 90-84 loss to Carroll on Tuesday. Nelon’s five assists – which came just six days after a career-high 11 assists versus Wheaton – elevated his season-long assist-to-turnover ratio to a league-best 2.19. Nelson’s 79 total assists rank third in the CCIW this season. The Vikings (14-9, 9-5 CCIW) are in third place in the league race and will host Elmhurst Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
Wheaton sophomore guard Soren Richardson (Northfield, Minn.) continued his scoring spree Wednesday with 23 points on 8-for-9 shooting to help the Thunder win at Millikin, 86-78. Richardson, who was named to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week on Monday and selected as the USBWA Player of the Week on Tuesday, has scored 20 points or more in his last seven starts and is the CCIW scoring leader with 22.7 points per contest. Wheaton (6-16, 3-10 CCIW) has won three straight and is on the road again Saturday at Carthage at 4:15 p.m.