Iowa Wesleyan- It took a 15-game winning streak, but the men’s basketball team has finally cracked the NAIA Top 25 at the #25 spot. One of the marquee wins for the Tigers this season came against William Penn University in a fierce home matchup that ended 85-81. Hakeem Odunsi and Carver Locke led the Tigers in points that game with 16 apiece. The Statesmen were ranked 13th at the time and since that game they fell down the rankings to 17th but have since regained their 13th ranking in the latest poll.
In Jordan Ashton’s first year at the helm of the program, the Tigers have been able to dominate the competition winning by double digits in 11 of their 17 games. Additionally, during this winning streak the Tigers have beaten the competition by an average of nearly 20 points.
A big reason for the team’s success is their depth, always allowing fresh players to come into the game and play aggressively. Moreover, the leadership of graduate student, Allante Pickens, has allowed for this team to flourish as he is 2nd on the team in points with 211 and freshman phenom, Henry Shannon, has provided the height and athleticism down low that has allowed him to lead the Tigers in points with 216 and blocks with 26.
The Tigers will be back in action tomorrow, January 13th, at 7 pm to face off against Baptist Bible College.