Carthage has maintained its lead in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men’s basketball standings following two league victories after the holiday break. The Firebirds, now at 4-1, defeated Elmhurst 80-65 and secured a 69-61 win at North Central. Junior guard Riley Brooks was key to these wins, posting three consecutive games with at least 20 points and ranking ninth nationally for total three-pointers made.
North Park remains close behind after an overtime win against North Central, overcoming an 18-point deficit in the second half. Junior Mike Vuckovic scored 28 points in that game and is currently third in conference scoring.
Illinois Wesleyan has returned to the national rankings at No. 18 due to strong defensive play. The Titans are leading Division III in blocks per game and recently set a program record with 11 blocks during their win over Augustana. Senior Nathan Boldt contributed five blocks in that contest, while sophomore Noah Cleveland continues to be a standout on defense, ranking fourth nationally with nine double-doubles.
Noah Cleveland was also named to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week for his performances during Illinois Wesleyan’s four-game winning streak over winter break. He averages nearly 12 rebounds per game, placing him tenth nationally.
Millikin achieved an overtime victory against Elmhurst, helped by Nate Straughter and Ian Winkler each scoring 20 points. Millikin leads the CCIW in offensive rebounding and is among the top teams nationally for rebound margin.
Lane Thomann from Millikin was recognized as CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week after averaging over 30 points across two games; he ranks second in both total points and minutes played within the conference.
North Central’s recent games have been closely contested, including a buzzer-beater victory over Bethany Lutheran by Alejandro Diaz but also an overtime loss to North Park days later. Ethan Marlowe has provided consistent defense for North Central this season.
Wheaton remains one of Division III’s top perimeter shooting teams and extended its home winning streak against Carroll to twelve games since 1990 following an 85-84 victory led by Soren Richardson’s performance.
Augustana narrowly beat Millikin thanks to late defensive stops from freshman Andre Klaver who blocked a potential game-winner at the buzzer. Jake Willems led Augustana’s effort despite their loss to Illinois Wesleyan earlier this week.
Other notable individual achievements include North Park’s Kolden Vanlandingham registering one of Division III’s few triple-doubles this season; Carroll’s Michael McNabb leading CCIW scorers; and Carthage’s Ryan Johnson ranking among national leaders in rebounding.
As it stands, Carthage leads with a record of 4-1 followed by North Park (3-1), Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin (both at 3-2), while Wheaton and Augustana are tied at 2-2. Upcoming matchups include several key contests between these leading teams as league play intensifies deeper into January.
