1997 NCAA Division III champions
1996 NCAA Division III third place
NCAA Division III qualifiers in 1984, 1986,
1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
RECORD-SETTING FIRST ROUND: IWU’s 132-91 first round win over Grinnell was one for the books. The 132 points is a new NCAA Division III tournament record, eclipsing the old mark of 131 set in a 1996 first round game (Wheaton 131, Grinnell 117). . . The 132 points is also an Illinois Wesleyan single-game scoring record, besting the old mark of 131 vs. Carroll on Jan. 6, 1967 (131-77). . . IWU was 40 of 50 from the free throw line, which is also a new school record for free throws made. The old standard was 34, set in 1973 (vs. Wheaton) and again in 1977 (vs. Carroll).
IWU IN POSTSEASON PLAY: This is the Titans' 14th appearance in the NCAA Division III tourney in the 18 years since dropping out of NAIA competition (after 1982-83 season). . .In the 1990s, IWU made the Division III tournament nine times and six years in a row (1994-99). . . In 1996 and 1997, IWU advanced to the final four teams (finishing third in 1996 and winning the title in 1997) and the Titans have been in the tourney's "Sweet 16" nine times. . . On four occasions IWU has lost in the tourney to the eventual champion - to Wisconsin-Whitewater (1984), to North Park (1987), to Ohio Wesleyan (1988), and to Rowan (1996 in the semifinals) - and three other times lost to eventual runner-up (LeMoyne-Owen in 1986, DePauw in 1990, and Manchester in 1995). . . Illinois Wesleyan has a 56-32 overall in postseason competition (including NAIA district and national play) since 1948-49: IWU is 26-13 in the NCAA tourney and were 30-19 in NAIA postseason play from 1948-83. . . IWU made eight trips to the NAIA national tourney in Kansas City from 1961-80.
TITANS VS. FIELD: IWU has wins over seven teams of the other 47 in this year's Division III tournament: Grinnell, MacMurray, Aurora, Washington U., Carthage, Elmhurst, and Benedictine.
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN NOTES: Titan sophomore Luke Kasten was named to the first team of the CCIW all-star squad on Tuesday and senior Adam Osborn earned third team notice. . . Kasten has 833 points after two seasons, the third best total for a freshman/sophomore at IWU. That is behind Jack Sikma (934 in his first two years) and Greg Yess (847). Kasten has made 111 free throws this year, 16th most in a single season at IWU. Kasten has 318 career rebounds, closing in on the top 40 at IWU. Jim Gresham had 337 from 1963-66. . .Osborn has 259 career assists, making him 12th all-time at IWU. Osborn remains fifth at the school in career 3-pointers with 129. The leader is Korey Coon with 245. . .Todd Wente is the first Titan to lead the CCIW in steals with an average of 2.1 in 14 league games.
THE RECORD: Illinois Wesleyan has reached the 20-win plateau for the 14th time in the 36 years under head coach Dennie Bridges . . .With 20 wins overall and 10 in the CCIW, IWU has its 12th straight winning campaigns. In Bridges’ 36 seasons, IWU has only had one losing CCIW season (7-9 in 1988-89) while two others were 8-8 (1968-69 and 1984-85).
HEAD COACH DENNIE BRIDGES: Has been at Illinois Wesleyan most of his adult life and has been a member of the staff for 37 years. . . A 1961 IWU graduate, Bridges has an overall record of 663-318 (.676 winning percentage) in 36 seasons and is the winningest active Division III coach. In all divisions prior to this year, he was No. 11 in wins all-time among coaches who have only coached at one school, and he No. 2 on the all-time list for coaches who have only coached at their alma mater. No. 1 is Herb Magee, a 1963 Philadelphia U. grad who has coached there since 1967 and has compiled a 687-261 record in those 33 seasons. Bridges’ CCIW record is 421-129 with 17 conference championships. . . Has taken teams to the quarterfinal round of the NAIA two times and to the NCAA quarterfinals five times, but 1996 and 1997 marked his first trips into the last four teams of any national tournament. . . Bridges has coached in the CCIW longer and has won more titles than anyone in league history. . . Bridges was a Titan letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. . . Played on two CCIW basketball championship teams.
THE SERIES: This is the first meeting in men’s basketball between Wartburg and IWU.
POLLS: In the final regular season D3hoops.com rankings, Illinois Wesleyan was No. 17 and Wartburg is No. 12. Chicago was No. 1, Carthage is tied for fourth (with Wittenberg), Washington U. was No. 8 and Elmhurst was No. 9.
HOME SWEET HOME: With a current home win streak of 15, the Titans are 14-0 at home this year. . . IWU is 93-5 (.948) overall and 46-3 (.939) in the CCIW at the Shirk Center since the building opened prior to the 1994-95 season. A loss to Benedictine (12/9/98) ended a school-record 46-game home win streak and a loss to Millikin (1/27/99) ended a 37-game CCIW home win skein that dated back to Feb. 17, 1993.
THE COLLEGE CONFERENCE OF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN IN THE NCAA: Teams from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin have an NCAA Division III tournament record of 80-42 (.650), including wins by IWU over Grinnell and Carthage over Marian so far in 2001. . . CCIW teams have accounted for six NCAA Division III championships (IWU in 1997 and North Park in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1985, and 1987), two second-place finishes (Augustana in 1981 and 1993), and three third-place finishes (Augustana in 1975 and 1976, and IWU in 1996). . . Prior to being in Division III, Wheaton won the Division II title in 1957 and finished fourth in 1958.