BELTON, Texas -- The LeTourneau men's basketball team started hot and led for the entire first half before falling to No. 9 Illinois Wesleyan, 85-67, on Sunday afternoon inside the Mayborn Campus Center in Belton.

The loss snapped a six-game regular season winning streak for LeTourneau (10-3). Illinois Wesleyan, ranked No. 9 in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25, goes to 10-1 on the year. It was the first all-time meeting between the programs.

LeTourneau started off hot from the field. The YellowJackets made seven of nine shots in the early going and built a 19-9 lead after a four-point play from Deonte Jackson with 12:59 left in the half.

Jackson had 18 of his game-high 27 points in the first half. The senior guard continued his path towards 2,000 career points as he sits just 10 shy of the milestone mark following Sunday's game.

After Illinois Wesleyan crept back within four later in the first half, LeTourneau stretched the margin back to eight (23-15) following a steal and layup from Jackson with 10:48 remaining in the half.

LeTourneau took a 40-35 lead into the break after Logan Brinkoeter's offensive rebound and putback in the final 30 seconds.

In the second half, Illinois Wesleyan flipped the script. The Titans scored the first nine points of the second period, capped by a Mason Funk bucket, to take the lead for the first time.

LeTourneau made it a one-point game moments later after a Teigan Edwards jumper, but the Titans were too much over the final 20 minutes. Illinois Wesleyan shot 64.3 percent (18-of-28) from the field in the second half and scored 50 points.

Jackson Mayes, making his season debut, scored 14 points off the bench for LeTourneau. Caedmon Liebengood had seven points with five rebounds, while Walker Blaine added six points and three rebounds.

LeTourneau finished the game shooting 40.6 percent (26-of-64) from the floor with six 3-pointers. The YellowJacket defense forced 19 turnovers, with Jackson tallying five steals.

Illinois Wesleyan received 21 points from Hakim Williams and a double-double of 10 points and 16 rebounds from Funk. The Titans shot 48.4 percent (30-of-62) for the game and had 28 second-chance points on 23 offensive rebounds.

UP NEXT

LeTourneau concludes its trip to Belton on Monday against Concordia (Minn.) at 2 p.m.

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