BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Sophomore Nick Anderson scored a career-high 18 points to lead the No. 25-ranked Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball team to its ninth straight win, a 69-61 decision over Carthage at the Shirk Center on Saturday (Jan. 14).

The Titans are alone in first place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin with a 4-0 record and are 13-2 overall while the Red Men slipped to 8-7 this season and 2-2 in league play.

Joining Anderson in double figures for IWU was senior Jordan Zimmer with 12.

The Red Men were paced by the 16 point effort of Malcom Kelly with Luke Johnson contributing 15.

IWU trailed twice by seven points in the first half, the last time 18-11 with 11:01 left to play. But the Titans went on a 9-2 run to tie the issue at 20-20 with 8:19 to go and went on a 14-4 tear from that point on to claim a 34-24 edge with 2:40 before the half. The Red Men chipped into the lead and trailed 34-30 at intermission.

Carthage scored the first five points in the final half to get a 35-34 lead (their last of the contest) with 17:46 to go. There were three more ties the rest of the way at 37, 39 and 41 before IWU took the lead to stay on a basket and free throw by Anderson at 12:35. The Red Men got no closer than one the rest of the way.

The Titans shot .420 from the field (21 of 50) and made six of their 19 3-point efforts (.316). IWU was 21 of 30 from the free throw line (700).

The Red Men shot .400 from the floor (22 of 55), made seven of 21 from beyond the arc (.333) and hit on 10 of 16 from the free throw line (.625).

IWU outrebounded Carthage 38-33 with junior Kevin Reed collecting eight. Mitch Thompson had six boards for Carthage, who committed 15 turnovers to 14 for the Titans.

Illinois Wesleyan will play next on Tuesday (Jan. 18) at North Central in a 7:30 tipoff. The Cardinals are 9-6 overall and slipped to second place in the CCIW with a 3-1 mark after a 66-64 double overtime loss at Wheaton on Saturday.