BLUE DEVILS STUN #6 ILLINOIS WESLEYAN WITH LATE SURGE ON THE ROAD
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — UW-Stout men's basketball delivered its biggest win in over a decade, storming back late to upset No. 6 Illinois Wesleyan, 66–58, at the Shirk Center on Saturday afternoon. Behind a remarkable 24–6 run over the final seven minutes, the Blue Devils erased a 10-point deficit and showcased toughness, poise, and confidence in a signature road victory.
Stout (3–3) leaned on grit down the stretch, closing the game with four key contributors playing with four fouls for the final five minutes. Despite the foul trouble, the Blue Devils refused to waver, locking in defensively and executing with veteran calm. Illinois Wesleyan struggled to handle Stout's physicality, especially in the second half, as the Titans were forced into difficult shots and off-rhythm possessions.
Tyrel Creger spearheaded the charge, pouring in a game-high 21 points and repeatedly coming up with timely buckets, including transition scores during the decisive run. Aidan Shore added a dominant effort off the bench, posting 16 points and 10 rebounds while controlling the paint on both ends. Stout's bench in total outscored Illinois Wesleyan's 38–13.
The Titans led 52–42 with just over seven minutes to play before the Blue Devils completely flipped the momentum. Stout's defense bottled up Illinois Wesleyan's perimeter attack—holding the hosts to 3-of-24 from three—while the offense surged with high-efficiency looks at the rim.
With the win, first-year head coach Tom Webb earns the first ranked victory of his career, and the Blue Devils earn their first win over a top-six opponent in more than 10 years, marking a statement moment early in the season.
BY THE NUMBERS
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24–6 — Stout's closing run over the final seven minutes
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4 — Blue Devils who played crunch time with four fouls
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38–13 — Bench scoring advantage for Stout
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47.1% — Stout's field goal percentage (24–51)
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16 & 10 — Shore's points and rebounds off the bench
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21 — Game-high points for Tyrel Creger
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3-of-24 — Illinois Wesleyan's three-point shooting
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils return home to Johnson Fieldhouse on Wednesday, December 3, hosting UW-Superior at 7 p.m. as they look to carry momentum from Saturday's upset into the final stretch before conference play.
