STAT REPORT
The latest CCIW men’s basketball statistics report through Wednesday, Feb. 5 can be viewed at this link.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (All times Central)
Saturday, Feb. 8
4:15 p.m. | #2 Illinois Wesleyan at Carthage
4:15 p.m. | Augustana at Millikin
4:15 p.m. | (RV) North Park at North Central
7:15 p.m. | Carroll at Wheaton
 
Wednesday, Feb. 12
7:00 p.m. | Elmhurst at Augustana
7:00 p.m. | Wheaton at Millikin
7:00 p.m. | Carroll at (RV) North Park
7:00 p.m. | Carthage at North Central
 
IN THE POLLS
Illinois Wesleyan jumped up one spot to #2 in the new D3hoops.com national poll released Monday.
 
IWU received a first-place vote from two of the 25 voters for 578 points. Wesleyan seized the other 23 first-place votes and remained the nation’s top-ranked squad with 621 points. NYU, Wisconsin-Platteville and Hampden-Sydney occupied the next three spots in the top five.
 
North Park received two points in Monday’s poll.
 
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 first NPI rankings, including games through Feb. 2, were released by the NCAA this week.
 
4. Illinois Wesleyan
29. North Park
30. Carthage
69. Augustana
102. North Central
123. Millikin
131. Elmhurst
233. Carroll
333. Wheaton
 
NATIONAL NOTABLES
Carthage junior guard AJ Johnson (Oswego, Ill.) ranks fifth in Division III with a 91.5 free-throw percentage. Johnson also ranks 19th nationally with 108 free throws made.
 
Illinois Wesleyan freshman guard Josh Fridman (Northbrook, Ill.) ranks fifth in Division III with a 91.5 free-throw percentage.
 
Augustana graduate forward Tyler Knuth (Rockford, Ill.) ranks 10th in Division III with a 90.6 free-throw percentage. Knuth also ranks 25th nationally with 3.00 3-pointers made per game.
 
Carroll senior guard Erik Victorson (Oregon, Wis.) ranks 18th in Division III with 3.20 3-pointers made per game.
 
Wheaton sophomore guard Soren Richardson (Northfield, Minn.) ranks 19th in Division III with 22.4 points per game.
 
Illinois Wesleyan senior guard Nick Roper (St. Louis, Mo.) ranks 21st in Division III with 107 free throws made.
 
AROUND THE CCIW
Augustana senior guard Evan Ambrose (Cary, Ill.) netted 11 points and earned his first career four-steal game to help the Vikings collect an 80-76 overtime win over North Central last Saturday in Rock Island. The performance also marked the sixth time in his last eight starts Ambrose has scored in double figures. Augie (12-8, 5-6 CCIW) has won two in a row four of its last six and will be at Millikin Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
Carroll senior guard Erik Victorson (Oregon, Wis.) logged 14 points, a career-high six rebounds and four assists in the Pioneers’ 84-75 loss to Carthage on Wednesday. Victorson also connected on two 3-pointers on Wednesday and currently leads the CCIW with 64 3-pointers made this season. His 3-point percentage of .348 (64-for-148) ranks fourth in the league among players with at least 2.5 makes per game this season. CU (6-14, 2-9 CCIW) visits Wheaton Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
 
Carthage sophomore guard/forward Ryan Johnson (Oswego, Ill.) produced his league-high seventh double-double of the campaign on Wednesday with 13 points and 13 rebounds to push the Firebirds past Carroll, 84-75. The effort also marked the ninth time this season Johnson has had at least 10 boards – most by a player in the league in 2024-25. Johnson’s 9.1 rebounds per game lead the conference. The Firebirds (15-5, 9-2 CCIW) host second-ranked Illinois Wesleyan this Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
Elmhurst junior guard Sebastian Blachut (Wood Dale, Ill.) scored 15 points – one of three Bluejays in double figures – to help EU to a 78-68 win over Millikin on Wednesday. Blachut shot 6-for-10 from the floor to go along with a career-best three steals and two assists in 34 minutes of action. The Bluejays (10-11, 6-6 CCIW) have won three of their last four games, own sole possession of fourth place in the league standings and will travel to Augustana next Wednesday at 7 p.m.
 
Illinois Wesleyan senior guard Hakim Williams (Round Lake, Ill.) tallied 16 points and four assists in just 19 minutes played last Saturday when the Titans won at Elmhurst, 77-46. Williams has 79 total assists in 21 games this season, most in the CCIW. Williams also ranks second in the league with a 1.98 assist-to-turnover ratio and third with 1.90 steals per contest. Second-ranked IWU (18-3, 10-2 CCIW) will be the road team at Carthage on Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
Millikin junior forward Chase Travis (Olney, Ill.) equaled a career high with 21 points, including the game-winning bucket with just three seconds remaining, in the Big Blue’s 64-62 win at Carroll last Saturday. Travis played a season-high 35 minutes in the victory, shooting 9-of-12 from the floor and hauling down five rebounds. Millikin (11-10, 5-7 CCIW) plays three of its last four at home, starting with Saturday’s 4:15 start against Augustana.
 
North Central senior guard Terrance Moncrief (Joliet, Ill.) delivered 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals to lead the Cardinals in their 72-64 upset of #2 Illinois Wesleyan on Wednesday at Gregory Arena. Moncrief, the CCIW leader in field goal percentage this season (.536), played 36 minutes in the win and now leads the Cardinals this season with 31.6 minutes played per contest. NCC (12-9, 5-7 CCIW) hosts North Park Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
North Park senior guard Davante Robinson (Oklahoma City, Okla.) came off the bench to lead the Vikings in scoring with 18 points in their 93-82 triumph over Carthage last Saturday in Chicago. Robinson went 5-for-7 on field-goal attempts, 2-for-3 from 3-point range and made all six of his free-throw tries. Robinson has been NPU’s top 3-point threat this season, averaging a team-best 1.95 makes per game. NPU (14-7, 9-3 CCIW) travels to North Central Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
Wheaton sophomore guard Soren Richardson (Northfield, Minn.) scored 53 points – second-most in a Division III game this season and third-most in Wheaton history – to help the Thunder upset North Park on Wednesday, 102-89. The point total, highlighted by an 18-for-23 showing from the floor and an 11-for-14 mark at the foul line, was fifth-most all-time in a CCIW game. The decision also marked Mike Schauer’s 400th career coaching win. The Thunder (4-16, 1-10 CCIW) will aim for consecutive wins Saturday at home against Carroll at 7:15 p.m.