Hayden Doyle scored the game-winning basket in WashU’s win over Illinois Wesleyan, Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy: Danny Reise/WashU Athletics)

Team	1	2	T
WashU (9-2)	25	38	63
Illinois Wesleyan (6-5)	26	35	61

Steven Millbrook
Staff Writer

BLOOMINGTON, IL — The Washington University men’s basketball team led by 12 points with six minutes to play in its game Tuesday night at Illinois Wesleyan. But then, the home team Titans rallied to take a late lead and looked like they might pull off a dramatic comeback victory.

Instead though, it was WashU that delivered the late drama, as sophomore Hayden Doyle drained a clutch 12-foot jumper with three seconds left, which proved to be the game-winning basket in the Bears’ 63-61 win over Illinois Wesleyan.

Doyle, who has started all but one game in his time at WashU, finished the night with eight points, six rebounds, and five assists to help lead the Bears. Teammate Charlie Jacob had a game-high 20 points, including four three-pointers.

That fourth three-pointer by Jacob came with exactly six minutes left on the clock and gave WashU a 54-42 lead, and had many in IWU’s Shirk Center believing the game may be over. But that was when the Titans rallied and went on a 17-4 run to take a 59-58 lead with 59 seconds left in the game.

Fortunately, the Bears didn’t panic. First, they called timeout to talk about strategy. Then, they went out an executed to get the lead back.

The key play was a bucket by senior Nate Bloedorn, which was set up by a terrific pass by Doyle. Bloedorn ended up with a layup and was also fouled on the play, which became a three-point play once he made the free throw.

That gave WashU a 61-59 lead. Illinois Wesleyan tied the score on its next possession with 14 seconds left, which set up the final score by Doyle, who found himself open on the left wing and drained a jump shot that gave the Bears the final lead of the game.

Illinois Wesleyan was able to inbound the ball, but wasn’t able to get a final shot off before the clock ran out, which gave WashU the victory.

The win was the Bears’ fourth in a row, and lifted the team’s overall record to 9-2. Illinois Wesleyan, which also came into the game having won three in a row, fell to 6-5 on the season.

WashU’s next game will be on Saturday, January 7, when the Bears will open up UAA league play, with a home game against the University of Chicago. That contest at the WashU Field House is scheduled to tip off at 3 p.m.

WashU 63

##	Player	GS	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	ORB-DRB	REB	PF	A	TO	BLK	STL	PTS
42	Charlie Jacob	*	37	7-15	4-6	2-2	1-4	5	1	0	2	0	0	20
04	Hayden Doyle	*	35	4-9	0-3	0-1	0-6	6	3	5	1	0	1	8
33	Kevin Davet	*	17	1-4	0-0	4-6	3-4	7	2	0	2	2	0	6
23	Jake Wolf	*	31	2-10	1-4	0-0	2-2	4	2	1	4	0	0	5
10	Yogi Oliff	*	30	0-2	0-0	0-0	0-2	2	2	3	1	0	2	0
15	Nate Bloedorn		19	4-8	0-1	1-1	1-0	1	2	0	1	0	1	9
32	Will Grudzinski		19	3-9	1-4	2-3	1-9	10	1	1	1	0	1	9
25	Jabari Chiphe		9	2-2	2-2	0-0	1-0	1	1	0	0	0	0	6
34	Calvin Kapral		3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TM	TEAM		0	0-0	0-0	0-0	2-2	4	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Totals	–	200	23-59	8-20	9-13	11-29	40	14	10	12	2	5	63

Illinois Wesleyan 61

##	Player	GS	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	ORB-DRB	REB	PF	A	TO	BLK	STL	PTS
14	Sroka,Ryan	*	35	8-14	0-0	2-2	1-7	8	0	1	2	0	1	18
03	Heflen,Lucas	*	37	4-12	2-5	3-6	0-1	1	1	2	2	0	2	13
23	Mitchell,Cody	*	31	5-10	2-5	0-0	2-4	6	3	2	2	0	1	12
20	Wilmsen,Harrison	*	29	3-12	2-5	0-2	1-3	4	1	0	0	1	0	8
00	Williams,Hakim	*	31	1-4	0-1	2-2	1-1	2	4	5	1	0	2	4
32	Anderson,Marko		15	0-1	0-0	2-4	3-6	9	1	0	0	0	1	2
45	Schneider,Evan		11	1-1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2
04	Bazzell,Trey		8	0-0	0-0	2-3	0-0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2
13	Williams,David		3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	2	0	1	0	0	0
TM	TEAM		0	0-0	0-0	0-0	2-4	6	0	0	1	0	0	0
	Totals	–	200	22-54	6-16	11-19	10-26	36	12	11	10	2	7	61

2023 WashU Bears Upcoming Men’s Basketball Schedule

Sat., January 7 — vs. Univ. of Chicago* — 1 pm

Fri., January 13 — vs. Brandeis* — 7:30 pm

Sun., January 15 — vs. NYU* — 12 pm

Fri., January 20 — at Case Western Reserve* — 6:30 pm

Sun., January 22 — at Carnegie Mellon* — 11 am

Fri., January 27 — at Univ. of Rochester* — 6:30 pm

Sun., January 29 — at Emory* — 11 am

* – Denotes University Athletic Association game

All WashU home games will be played at the WashU Field House.