Late surge propels Illinois Wesleyan to 1st CCIW win

Posted on January 8, 2015

Jordan Nelson led IWU with 20 points in a 77-68 win over Wheaton. (Photo by Marc Featherly/IWUsports.com)

By Eric Stock 

WHEATON – Jordan Nelson's corner 3-pointer with 1:58 remaining put Illinois Wesleyan on top for good during a late rally which paved the way for a 77-68 win at King Arena. 

Nelson, a senior transfer from Evansville, led IWU with 20 points off the bench as he keyed the Titans' first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin win of the season. 

The Titans had trailed for much of the game. Wheaton led by as many as nine in the first half. IWU outscored the Thunder 20-6 in the final 7:18 of the game. 

Titans coach Ron Rose said the defense was much more aggreesive, limiting the Thunder to 27 second-half points. 

"As disappointed as I was with the first half, I was equally pleased with the second half," Rose said. "A great road win for our team." 

IWU connected on 11-20 from 3-point range, whihle the Thunder coaxed just 1 of 16 from beyond the arc.

The Thunder were led in scoring by Brayden Teuscher's 24 points. 

The No. 22-ranked Titans (9-4, 1-1 in CCIW) end a two-game losing streak. Wesleyan will host Carthage on Saturday. Wesleyan will unveil the 2014 Final Four banner before the game.

PODCAST: Listen to Joel Swanson's postgame interviews with Rose and Nelson.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].  
 

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