MARION, Ind. -- Luckey Arena was abuzz all afternoon for the No. 6-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University men's basketball game with rival University of Saint Francis (Ind.) that had all the pieces in place for a wild afternoon.

Indiana Wesleyan did nothing to disappoint the frenzied crowd as IWU overcame a late six point deficit with a 14-4 run to close out the game and complete the season sweep of Saint Francis by a 72-68 margin. The game featured nine lead changes and six ties as neither team led by more than seven points the entire game.

A jam packed crowd of approximately 1,500 were in attendance for the ?Black Out' game and the NAIA Division II Game of the Week. Adding to the excitement was the defending national champions in town with a chance for Indiana Wesleyan to clinch a share of the Mid-Central College Conference regular season championship.

"Without (Derrick) Troyer we really needed a lift today and we got it from the fan support," said Indiana Wesleyan head coach Greg Tonagel. "The students and the community really came out today and had it filled. They were loud, jumping, making a lot of noise and it really got our guys going."

Indiana Wesleyan (23-5, 12-2 MCC) clinched at least a share of the MCC title with two games to play, despite missing starting point guard Derrick Troyer for the sixth straight game and featuring a lineup composed of four underclassmen.

"It says a lot about these guys," said Indiana Wesleyan head coach Greg Tonagel. "We challenge them hard and sometimes they may question it. But when they reap the rewards for their hard work they understand it."

The conference championship is the third straight for the Wildcats and the fourth in the past five years. IWU had never won a conference championship before the 2006-07 season.

Since the loss of Troyer, freshman guard Jordan Weidner has stepped into a starting role and has flourished. In his six starts, Weidner has averaged a team-best 17.3 points per game. On Saturday, he finished with a game-high 25 points.

"Jordan just continues to make big plays for us," stated Tonagel. "He's just a player going out there and making things happen. He's bailed us out a lot this season and had the big baskets today when we needed them."

The freshman did most his damage of the afternoon in the game's final five minutes. He scored nine of the Wildcats' 14 points during the climactic run.

Saint Francis senior forward DeJouvan Sawyer-Davis drilled a 3-pointer to give USF a 64-58 lead with 4:46 remaining. The six point lead was the largest for either team in the second half.

Indiana Wesleyan responded on the next possession with a 3-point basket of his own. Sawyer-Davis missed the front end of a bonus free throw and Weidner quickly responded with a 3-pointer to tie the score at 64-64 with 3:52 remaining.

Following a defensive stop, Indiana Wesleyan captured their first lead in over six minutes when Weidner scored from the top of the key. Sawyer-Davis tied the game with two free throws but IWU retook the lead with a bucket by sophomore guard George Jones IV.

After a Saint Francis miss, Weidner once again hit a field goal at the top of the key to give Indiana Wesleyan a 70-66 advantage with 1:52 on the clock.

Cougar sophomore forward Ethan Hussey made it a one possession game with a pair of free throws at the 1:35 mark. The teams combined for three straight turnovers which left the Cougars with the ball and a chance to tie in the final 30 seconds.

USF senior forward Ferdinand Morales-Soto missed the potential game-tying shot with 15 seconds left and Sawyer-Davis collected the rebound. But he quickly turned it over as USF was forced to foul with 13 seconds remaining.

Indiana Wesleyan sophomore guard Aaron Martin hit both free throws to ice the win and the third straight MCC title.

Weidner hit 9-of-17 shots and was 2-of-4 from 3-point range for his 25 points. He added three assists and three steals. Martin continues his stellar play of late and added 18 points as he nailed three 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Patrick Hopkins contributed seven points and nine boards.

Senior forward Will Hubertz scored 11, with eight coming in the first half. He added eight rebounds and three blocked shots.

"Will played his heart out, especially on the defensive end," added Tonagel. "He made the key block late and was a leader for us today."

Indiana Wesleyan limited Saint Francis (21-7, 10-4) to 41.0-percent (25 of 61) shooting and to nearly 12 points below their season average. IWU only forced four turnovers in the first half but added nine more in the second stanza.

"We played well defensively in stretches," said Tonagel. "But when we really needed the stops we stepped up. Will and Pat each made big plays late with some key blocks."

Indiana Wesleyan can clinch the outright regular season championship and the no. 1-seed in the MCC Tournament with a win in one of their final two games. IWU will play at Marian (Ind.) University on Tuesday, February 15 and then play the regular season finale at home against No. 17-ranked Grace (Ind.) College on Saturday, February 19.

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