BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball team claimed the inaugural Sikma Hall of Fame Invitational Championship with a 65-63 win over 17th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Saturday night, Nov. 13. Senior Cory Noe (Mahomet, Ill.-Mahomet-Seymour) was named the tournament Most Valuable Player, while senior Matthew Leritz (St. Louis, Mo.-St. Louis University HS) also earned a spot on the all-tournament team. 

Illinois Wesleyan led by as many as nine early in the second half, but UW-Oshkosh roared back to cut the lead to two, 65-63, with 41.1 seconds to play. The Green and White forced an ill-advised three-point attempt on UWO's final possession to hold on for a 65-63 victory.

Leritz recorded his second double-double of the season with team-highs in points with 19 and rebounds with 10. Noe had 13 points, seven rebounds, and two steals. Junior Luke Yoder  (Normal, Ill.-Central Catholic) chipped in nine points on four-of-seven shooting and a team-high four assists. Sophomore Ryan Sroka (Lake in the Hills, Ill.-Huntley) came off the bench and added seven points, as a total of eight Titans scored in the game.

IWU bested Oshkosh in field goal percentage shooting a .448 (26-of-58) clip compared to a .338 (23-of-68) clip from the Titans of Oshkosh. IWU also recorded 10 more points in the paint than Oshkosh, 34-24. The Green and White were a perfect seven-for-seven from the charity stripe, as Oshkosh shot .643 (9-of-14) from the free throw line. 

It was a defensive battle between the Titans from the tip. Leritz scored the first five points for the Green and White before Oshkosh went on a 6-0 run to make the score 11-5 with 13 minutes left in the first half. IWU would come roaring back to tie it up at 13 halfway through the first 20 minutes. 

The first half remained close before a reverse put back and-one from Sroka made the score 28-26 and gave the Green and White the momentum. A personal 7-3 run from Leritz ended the half and gave the Titans a 37-29 edge going into the break. 

At the beginning of the second half, a kick out three from Leritz to Yoder gave IWU their largest lead of the game, 42-33. 

UW-Oshkosh erased the IWU lead with a three-pointer with 6:32 to play to take a 54-52 advantage. 

After buckets by Leritz and Noe, senior Peter Lambesis's (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-St. Viator) layup put Illinois Wesleyan on top 58-56. Noe kept the Green and White rolling with a kickback to Leritz for a three from the top of the key to up IWU's lead to five, 61-56. 

On the back of Hunter Plamann, UWO pulled within two twice, but free throws by Noe kept IWU's lead intact to the end. 
 
Next up, IWU road trips to Michigan for dates with Alma College Friday, Nov. 19 and Calvin University Saturday, Nov. 20. Friday's match-up at Alma is set to tipoff at 7:30 p.m. ET.