Record-setting night sends Illinois Wesleyan to win over Greenville

Posted on November 17, 2015

Jaylen Beasley scored 17 points to lead Illinois Wesleyan to a 150-117 win over Greenville. (Photo by WJBC)

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Illinois Wesleyan basketball coach Ron Rose said before Tuesday’s game with Greenville he had not idea what to expect going up against a team that was trying out a run-and-gun Grinnell-style pace.

After all, Greenville was trying out the system for the first time in its season opener and the only evidence Rose had of the Panthers employing the system was in watching the junior varsity game.

Rose probably didn’t expect his team would shatter the school scoring record, which it did in a 150-117 win in front of 550 fans at Shirk Center.

IWU broke the record it set in a March 2001 NCAA Regional game against Grinnell in a 132-91 win at Shirk Center. The game also broke a 16-year-old record for combined points.

Trevor Seibring led seven Titans in double figures with 27 points. Ryan Coyle added 22 points and seven rebounds. Jaylen Beasley posted 17 points.

IWU handled Greenville’s frenetic pace and wore down the Panthers despite GC’s constant five-player substitutions. All 16 Greenville players saw action in both halves. The Titans end the first half on a 33-13 run over the final 6:51 to take a 78-56 lead.

The Titans shot 71 percent from the field (51 of 74) in earning their first win of the season (1-1),

IWU will host Wilmington on Saturday in the opening round of the Holiday Inn West Express Tip-Off Classic at 7:30 p.m. Fontbonne and Rose-Hulman will play in the opener at 5.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected]..

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