25 February 2001
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206
 
 

IWU Returns to Division III Tournament

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- After a one year absence, the Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team is back in familiar territory, having been picked as an at-large selection to the NCAA Division III tournament.

The Titans, who are 19-6 and have won four straight, will host the Grinnell Pioneers in a first round game Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Shirk Center.

The winner of the IWU-Grinnell game will travel to Waverly, Iowa, for a Saturday second round meeting with Wartburg.

Grinnell, 16-7 and winners of nine straight games, is in the tournament as the winner of the Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference championship. To win the title this weekend, Grinnell beat Beloit, 120-109 on Friday, and downed Illinois College, 130-122 last night.

The Pioneers were featured recently in a USA Today article, highlighting their explosive, run-and-gun offense. Through 19 games, Grinnell was averaging 118.6 points and allowing 114.6 points per game. The Pioneers take an average of 52.6 3-pointers per game and force an average of 32 turnovers per game.

Illinois Wesleyan, the 1997 Division III national champions, is making its 14^th appearance in the NCAA tourney since joining Division III before the 1983-84 season. The Titans have a record of 25-13 in the tournament and also finished third in 1996.

Grinnell's only other Division III tourney appearance was in 1996 when they lost to Wheaton, 131-117.