The Millikin men's basketball team lost at the buzzer 51-49 to ninth ranked and College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin leader Illinois Wesleyan at the Griswold Center in Decatur, Illinois on February 9.

Illinois Wesleyan's Matthew Leritz hit game winning basket as time expired with the assist going to Luke Yoder. Calvin Fisher had tied the game for the Big Blue at 49-49 with a basket with 48 seconds remaining. After a missed 3-pointer by Illinois Wesleyan, Millikin had a shot at a go-ahead basket with 11 seconds left, but Leritz blocked the attempt with Yoder pulling down the rebound. Leritz missed a shot with four seconds left to take the lead and Yoder missed on the putback with the ball going out of bounds off a Millikin player setting up the last-second shot situation.

The game was a battle throughout with 10 lead changes and two ties. Illinois Wesleyan led 28-24 at halftime at had its biggest lead of the game at 11 points 37-26 with 15 minutes remaining.

Millikin shot 31 percent (19-for-61) from the field and made only 5-of-23 (21 percent) from 3-point range. The Titans were 22-for-61 (36 percent) from the field making 5-for-15 (33 percent) from 3-point range. The Millikin defense had nine blocked shots on the evening with eight steals. The Titans had six blocks and six steals. Illinois Wesleyan won the rebounding battle 41-36.

Senior Jake Hampton led Millikin with 13 points, three steals and two blocks. Fisher finished with 12 points, a team high seven rebounds and five assists. Demarcus Bond added 11 points for the Big Blue. Cole Laurence had six points, six rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots.

Leritz finished with 21 points, nine rebounds and three blocks for the Titans. Ryan Sroka added 10 points for the Titans.

Millikin falls to 12-10, 7-6 while Illinois Wesleyan improves to 18-4, 11-2.

The Big Blue will be back in action on Saturday, February 12 at 4 p.m. hosting North Park on Senior Day.