MARION, Ind. – No. 2-seed Indiana Wesleyan men's basketball punched their ticket to the 2026 NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Round of 16 on Saturday after a second-round victory over No. 10-seed Dalton State 89-70. The Wildcats shot 51.6% from the field, with a 53.8% success rate from beyond the arc, and recorded 23 assists, marking their 12th game this season with over 20 assists. IWU built a commanding 24-point lead in the second half, aided by its 21 points off turnovers. The Roadrunners struggled from 3-point range, shooting just 26.1%, and could not overcome the deficit despite scoring 30 points in the paint.
THE ESSENTIALS
- Location: Marion, Ind. | Luckey Arena
- Records: IWU 28-5 | DSC 24-9
- NAIA Tournament Seeding: IWU - #2 | DSC - #10
FIRST HALF
- Indiana Wesleyan capitalized on early defensive pressure, forcing multiple turnovers by Dalton State, with Isaac Andrews and Millen McCartney each recording steals within the first three minutes.
- DSC struggled with ball control, committing nine turnovers, which IWU converted into 12 points, contributing to their largest lead of 12 points at the 8:28 mark.
- The red and grey's bench provided a significant boost, scoring 15 points, while Dalton State's bench added six points to its total.
- At halftime, Indiana Wesleyan led Dalton State 38-33.
SECOND HALF
- The Wildcats opened with a strong start, including a 3-pointer by Jake Smith at 19:15, extending its lead to 41-35.
- The Roadrunners cut the deficit to 60-55 with 8:15 remaining after a 10-3 run.
- IWU pulled further away with a 15–6 stretch, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Caedmon Bontrager at 4:29, establishing a 16-point advantage.
- The Wildcats maintained control throughout the half, closing out the 89–70 victory over the Roadrunners. The team's defensive prowess was evident as they recorded 10 steals, surpassing their season average of 6.4.
KEY WILDCATS
NEXT TIME OUT
- The Wildcats travel out to Kansas City, Mo next week for their Round of 16 matchup on March 19.
- Visit IWUWildcats.com for up-to-date information on the game time and opponent.
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