Aiming for its third straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament title, the Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball team hosts Millikin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 26 in a semifinal game. The No. 3-ranked Titans are 24-1 this season and have won three straight regular season league crowns.

In the first semifinal game at 5 p.m. Friday, No. 2-seed Carthage (22-3, 12-2 CCIW) plays No. 3 seed Elmhurst (17-8, 10-4). The tourney championship game is at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m., with the winner earning the CCIW's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III women's basketball championship. Go here for the Titans' CCIW tournament web site and go here for the official conference tournament web site.


The Titans find out their lot in the Division III women's basketball tournament when the 64-team field is announced on Monday, March 1 at 11:30 a.m. First- and second-round play takes place on March 5-6. The championships will be at the Shirk Center on March 19-20.

IWU, coached by Mia Smith (223-96 in her 12th year), won the last two CCIW postseason tournaments after finishing second in the previous three tourneys.
The Titans are No. 3 in both Division III polls this week – Amherst (25-0), Kean (24-1), IWU, Hope (24-1), defending champion George Fox (23-2) and national runner-up Washington U. (20-2) are the top six teams in order in both the D3hoops.com and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN polls.
IWU was ranked first in the Feb. 17 NCAA Division III Central Regional poll, followed by Carthage, Washington U., University of Chicago, Wis.-Whitewater and Wis.-Stevens Point.
In all games, senior center Christina Solari is sixth among CCIW scoring leaders (13.2 points per game), second in rebounding (8.5 per game) and second in assists (4.44 per game). Junior Hope Schulte and Nikki Preston are tied for 13th among CCIW scorers at 12.3 points per game.

Millikin University (15-10, 9-5 CCIW) has played in four of the seven CCIW tournaments and won the 2005 tournament championship en route to winning the NCAA Division III championship. This is their first appearance since 2008.
Center Elise Wildman is second in the CCIW in scoring (17.7 points per game), first in rebounding (9.4 per game) and blocked shots (2.16 per game) and fourth in field-goal percentage (.544). Sophomore guard Cecily Aldridge is 10th in scoring (12.3 points per game).
Lori Kerans has a record of 464-166 in her 24th season as the Big Blue coach.

Elmhurst, playing in its second CCIW women's basketball tournament, is led by the explosive Lyndsie Long. Her 45 points set a CCIW scoring record vs. Carthage in a game the Bluejays lost on a halfcourt shot at the horn. Long leads the CCIW in both scoring (24.6 points) and free throw percentage (.894), is fifth in rebounding (7.3 per game) and ninth in field goal percentage (.490). Meghan Merklein is eighth in scoring (13.1 points per game) and second in free-throw percentage (.868). Long finished the CCIW season with 366 points,
the second-highest single-season point total in conference history.

Carthage, who is No. 10 in the D3hoops.com poll and 12th in the USA Today/ESPN poll, is making its seventh CCIW tournament appearance since the event began in 2003. Diana Jacklin is fourth in the CCIW in both scoring (14.9 points) and rebounding (7.5), third in field goal percentage (.550) and blocked shots (1.60 per game) and seventh in steals (1.76). Sophomore Dani Ripkey leads the league and is eighth in the NCAA Division III stats in 3-point shooting (.438), is 18th in scoring (9.9) and 12th in field goal percentage (.459).
As a team, Carthage leads the nation in field-goal percentage (.476) and is third in three-point field-goal percentage (.391). Among CCIW teams the Lady Reds are third in scoring (70.6), first in defense (57.1) and second in scoring margin (+13.5 points per game).

The series records:
• Millikin leads IWU, 49-24 – The Titans won both games this season, claiming a 64-42 win at home on Jan. 12 and winning at Millikin, 80-59 on Feb. 9.
• IWU leads Elmhurst, 39-13 – The Titans won both games, taking a 74-64 victory at Elmhurst on Jan. 17 and winning at the Shirk Center 73-60 on Feb. 6
• IWU leads Carthage, 27-22 – The two teams split this year with each winning on their home court. IWU beat Carthage, 76-48 on Jan. 9 and the Lady Reds beat the Titans, 72-67 on Jan. 30.


2009 (at Illinois Wesleyan)
Semifinals
Illinois Wesleyan 76, North Central 58
Carthage 65, Wheaton 50
Championship
Illinois Wesleyan 75, Carthage 55

2008 (at Illinois Wesleyan)
Semifinals
Illinois Wesleyan 78, Elmhurst 57
Millikin 49, Carthage 48
Championship
Illinois Wesleyan 75, Millikin 64

2007 (at Wheaton)
Semifinals
Wheaton 57, Carthage 53
Illinois Wesleyan 83, Millikin 67
Championship
Wheaton 54, Illinois Wesleyan 49

2006 (at Wheaton)
Semifinals
Illinois Wesleyan 49, North Park 46
Wheaton 57, Carthage 45
Championship
Wheaton 74, Illinois Wesleyan 60

2005 (at Millikin)
Semifinals
Illinois Wesleyan 75, Wheaton 73
Millikin 74, Elmhurst 52
Championship
Millikin 82, Illinois Wesleyan 64

2004 (at Millikin)
Semifinals
Wheaton 71, Carthage 49
Millikin 63, North Park 54
Championship
Wheaton 74, Millikin 49

2003 (at Illinois Wesleyan)
Semifinals
Wheaton 72, Carthage 71 (OT)
Illinois Wesleyan 68, Augustana 59
Championship
Illinois Wesleyan 54, Wheaton 53