NAPERVILLE — The past week of action across College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men’s basketball produced movement in the standings, notable individual performances and continued national recognition for several programs and players. 
 
As the schedule moved past the midpoint of conference play, results from both the weekend and midweek slate helped further define the race while setting up a series of consequential matchups ahead.
 
Titans Take Control: Illinois Wesleyan Ascends the National Rankings
Illinois Wesleyan continued to establish itself as the conference pace-setter, extending its winning streak to eight games and moving to 6-2 in CCIW play and 14-3 overall. The Titans climbed two spots to No. 13 in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, supported by a defensive profile that remains among the nation’s best. Illinois Wesleyan leads NCAA Division III in blocks per game (6.8) and ranks 10th nationally in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 38.2 percent shooting.
 
The Titans’ control was evident in an 80-61 road victory at Wheaton last Saturday. Sophomore Noah Cleveland delivered one of the league’s top performances of the season with 30 points and 13 rebounds, earning CCIW Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week honors and recording his 11th double-double. Junior Casen Lawrence added 22 points, including six three-pointers, as IWU pulled away in the second half.
 
On Wednesday, the Titans showed resilience in a 72-62 home win over Millikin. After shooting 23.1 percent in the first half and trailing by 13, Illinois Wesleyan scored 50 points after the break. Cleveland led the comeback with 19 points, while Karlo Colak contributed 17 as the Titans maintained their position atop the standings.
 
Saturday Standouts: Career Highs and Double-Doubles Galore
Last Saturday’s slate featured several standout individual efforts across the conference. At Millikin, Lane Thomann posted a career-high 35 points to go along with 12 rebounds in a 77-74 win over Carthage. The Big Blue relied on a 32-20 edge in points in the paint and a 43-25 rebounding advantage to withstand a late rally. Carthage’s Riley Brooks scored 20 points in the loss.
 
Elmhurst earned an 81-75 road win at North Park behind a career night from Dominic Trelenberg. The junior scored 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting and added eight rebounds as the Bluejays led wire-to-wire, building a lead as large as 21 in the first half. North Park outscored Elmhurst 45-36 after halftime, but Trelenberg and Sebastian Blachut (12 points) provided timely scoring down the stretch.
 
At Augustana, the Vikings celebrated the 1975-76 Final Four team with an 80-73 victory over Carroll. Cam Atkinson led Augustana with 18 points, while Michael McNabb recorded 22 points and six steals for the Pioneers.
 
Wednesday Warriors: Overtime Thrillers and Free Throw Marathons
Midweek action produced multiple tightly contested games, beginning with North Central’s 82-78 overtime win over Carroll. The Cardinals snapped a recent skid by remaining perfect from the free-throw line in the extra session, extending their winning streak against the Pioneers to 15 games. Alejandro Diaz led North Central with 16 points and went 8-for-8 at the line, while McNabb paced Carroll with 29 points, including an 11-for-11 performance on free throws. North Central finished the game 26-for-30 (86.7 percent) at the stripe.
 
Augustana followed with a 92-87 road win at North Park in a high-tempo contest. Augie opened on a 10-0 run and scored a season-high 51 first-half points on the road. Andre Klaver led six Augustana players in double figures with 22 points, including a perfect 10-for-10 effort at the free-throw line. The game featured frequent trips to the line, with Augustana attempting 48 free throws and converting 40. North Park’s Kolden Vanlandingham scored 26 points, while Lazario Cornish posted 13 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Elmhurst capped the night with a 72-60 home win over Carthage, improving to 8-1 at R.A. Faganel Hall. The Bluejays held the Firebirds to 36.4 percent shooting and connected on 10 three-pointers. Trelenberg led Elmhurst again with 24 points.
 
The Numbers Game: CCIW Stars Shine on the National Stage
CCIW players continue to rank prominently in NCAA Division III statistical categories. Cleveland stands third nationally in total rebounds (196) and 14th in rebounds per game (11.5). He also shares the conference lead in blocks with teammate Mason Funk, as both average 2.0 per game, ranking 28th nationally.
 
Carroll’s McNabb leads the CCIW in scoring at 21.3 points per game, placing him 31st nationally. Thomann follows closely at 20.9 points per contest and ranks 23rd in Division III with 133 made field goals.
 
From the perimeter, Lawrence ranks ninth nationally with 53 made three-pointers and leads the league by shooting 42.7 percent from beyond the arc. North Park’s Vanlandingham is 17th in the country with 5.5 assists per game and remains the only CCIW player to record a triple-double this season. Defensively, Illinois Wesleyan’s Jackson Niego ranks fifth nationally with a 3.75 assist-to-turnover ratio.
 
The Road Ahead: Battle for Position in the Standings
With the conference schedule moving beyond the halfway mark, Illinois Wesleyan sits alone at the top at 6-2. Carthage and Augustana are tied for second at 5-3, setting up a key matchup this Saturday at Tarble Arena. Wheaton (4-3) and Elmhurst (4-4) remain within reach, while Millikin (4-5) looks to regain momentum.
 
Saturday’s slate also features North Central at Elmhurst, North Park at Wheaton and Illinois Wesleyan on the road at Carroll. Looking ahead to next Wednesday, Jan. 28, Augustana hosts Wheaton, while Carthage travels to Bloomington to face the Titans. With the CCIW Championship beginning Feb. 24, positioning for hosting rights and top seeds continues to take shape.