CLINTON – Brett Humpal (Sr.-Decorah, Iowa) had another huge game, Head Coach Alan Magnani reached a career milestone and Iowa Wesleyan College continued its scorching hot shooting in rolling to an 88-66 win over Ashford University Saturday afternoon.
Humpal scored a season-high 35 points and also had seven rebounds, six assists and five steals to cap a huge week for both he and the Tigers. Humpal averaged 28 points over Wesleyan’s three wins in six days, and on Saturday IWC won its fifth straight game to improve to 9-2 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference, 13-9 overall.
Saturday’s result also marked the 200th career win for Magnani, the winningest coach in the school’s men’s basketball history. The day also saw the Tigers move into a tie for first place in the MCC after league-leading Grand View University lost to Viterbo (Wis.) University on Saturday, dropping the Vikings to 9-2 in the MCC as well.
The Tigers delivered another blistering shooting performance, shooting 58.9% from the field, their fourth straight game shooting better than 50% from the floor. Wesleyan shot 50% in the first half and then made 18 of 26 field goals in the second half, shooting 69.2% in the final 20 minutes to cruise home with the win.
IWC only trailed once in the early going at 4-2 before going ahead by as many as 12 points on two occasions in the first half. The Tigers settled for a 42-34 halftime lead and then blew the game open midway through the second half. Josh Hogue (Jr.-Oxford, Iowa) and Jared Callanan (Jr.-Bennington, Vt.) hit back-to-back three-pointers and Humpal converted a three-point play to cap 9-0 run that made it 66-47 with 11:38 left in the game. Wesleyan eventually led by as many as 25 points in the second half.
Humpal made 12 of his 15 field goal attempts and converted all nine of his free throws. He led the team in assists and steals and tied Callanan for the team rebounding lead as IWC out-rebounded the Saints 37-25.
Da’kari Shelby (Sr.-O’Fallon, Ill.) was the only other Tiger to score in double figures with 14 points. Callanan scored eight points while Jason Garber (Sr.-Emden, Ill.) and Matt Lafrenz (Sr.-Bennett, Iowa) added seven each. IWC made 33 of 56 shot attempts in the game and also limited the Saints to 37.7% shooting (26-for-69). Ashford dropped to 9-15 overall, 3-8 in the MCC.
Magnani’s 200th win comes in his 13th season at Wesleyan. He has a 200-190 career record at IWC, and his total is 119 wins more than Barry Holtgrewe, who is second on the school’s all-time men’s basketball coaches’ wins list. Holtgrewe coached at IWC from 1970-75.
Wesleyan now returns back home to face St. Ambrose University Wednesday night at Ruble Arena. The Tigers will look to avenge one of their two conference losses in the game, as the Fighting Bees won the first meeting in overtime at SAU.
For more information regarding the IWC basketball programs or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Box score IWC 88 Ashford 66
