BLOOMINGTON — Big Country has trimmed the borders, leading directly to an expansion of his presence on the Illinois Wesleyan basketball team.

Ryan “Big Country” Connolly, or simply “BC” to his teammates, has parlayed a 20-pound weight loss into added mobility and added production as the Titans have opened the season with four victories in five outings.

“I felt I had to be able to get up and down the floor,” said the 6-foot-9 sophomore. “I was flirting with 295 (pounds) last year. Now I’m down to 275. I lift (weights) three times a week then get on the (stationary) bicycle for 10, 15, 20 minutes. That’s what’s helping out a lot.”

Connolly is averaging 10.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in just 11 minutes per game entering today’s 7:30 p.m. nonconference contest against Monmouth at Shirk Center.

“I want to be another low post scorer off the bench and give us some offensive ability and then some defense and rebounding as well,” said Connolly, a product of Springfield Lanphier High School.

Rose has used Connolly almost exclusively in relief of his top offensive weapon in the post, junior Doug Sexauer.

“I’ve been very pleased with Ryan’s progress and production. And the best is yet to come,” Rose said. “One on one, I haven’t seen many guys at our level who could contain him once he catches it on the block.”

Sexauer believes Connolly’s improved conditioning has made a world of difference.

“He can play now. He can run up and down and you can’t stop him,” said Sexauer. “He used to get so tired you would have to take him out of the game. Now he can keep going and stay in the game.”

Sexauer knows the perils of defending Connolly from practice sessions.

“If you don’t front him, double or triple team him, he’s going to score. Even when they do double him, he’s scoring over them,” Sexauer said. “It’s hard for other teams to figure out what to do with him. He can shoot the 15-footer, and he’s a great free throw shooter. If you put him at the line, he’s going to make 80 percent of them.”

Rose is similarly impressed with Connolly’s well-rounded skills.

“He’s not just a big guy,” said Rose. “He’s very skilled with soft hands.”

Once those hands grab the basketball, Connolly is prepared to look for teammates once what is becoming an inevitable double team arrives.

“I have to be able to pass out of double teams. If they don’t double team, I have to make them pay and score,” he said. “Our guys are supposed to fill spots on the floor so I have spots to throw to if the double team does come.”

Rose envisions utilizing Sexauer and Connolly at the same time as the season progresses.

“I’m certainly open to Ryan’s role expanding and playing those two together,” said the Wesleyan coach. “That would present opponents some problems if the second biggest guy is guarding Doug.”

Ex-Badger leads Monmouth: Former East Peoria and University of Wisconsin standout Mark Vershaw is in his third season as coach of the Fighting Scots.

Monmouth has a 1-2 record and is led by the 17.3 points per game of 6-5 junior Eric Cogdill. The IWU and Monmouth junior varsity squads meet in today’s 5:15 p.m. preliminary game.