
By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – Andy Stempel led four Titans in double figures with 19 points as Illinois Wesleyan defeated Webster, 82-69, in the opening round of the Tip-Off Tournament at Shirk Center.
The Titans advance to the championship game vs. Loras at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Duhawks outscored Aurora, 112-99 in the first game.
PODCAST: Listen to the postgame interviews with IWU coach Ron Rose and Stempel on WJBC.
The Titans (2-0) broke open a two-point game with a 12-0 run midway through the second half to take command of the game.
Colin Bonnett and Trevor Seibring scored 15 points apiece for IWU. Alec Bausch added 11 off of the bench.
Wesleyan jumped out early with an array of 3-pointers against the Gorlok’s zone defense, racing out to a 12-point lead late in the first half before Webster rallied.
The Titans made 56 percent of their field goal tries in the second half to pull away from Webster (0-2).
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].