Box Score Illinois Wesleyan 82, Elmhurst 72 - Box Score, Feb. 27

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball team won its third consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament title with an 82-72 decision over Elmhurst at the Shirk Center on Saturday, Feb. 27.

The Titans earn the automatic bid into the 2010 NCAA Division III tournament and will find out on Monday, March 1, who, when and where they will play in the first round.

Junior Nikki Preston led IWU (26-1) with 19 points while junior Hope Schulte added 17. Senior Christina Solari scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while handing out six assists and sophomore Olivia Lett came off the bench to score 12.

The Titans went on a 21-5 run in the final minutes of the first half to break out of a 24-24 tie and lead 45-29 at intermission. The Titans built the lead to as many as 18 points in the second half with 18:22 to play but the Bluejays cut the lead to four at 62-58 with 9:06 to go. A 12-0 run over the next four minutes gave the Titans a lead of 74-58 with 5:07 to play.

IWU shot 52 percent from the field in the first half (17 of 33) and 44 percent in the game (29 of 66). IWU outrebounded Elmhurst, 38-32.

The Bluejays (18-9) got 32 points from Lyndsie Long, the third highest total in a women's game at the Shirk Center.  Megan Ney had 18 points and Meghan Merklein scored 12 points and got seven rebounds, as did Long.

The Bluejays shot 54 percent from the field (27 of 50), made eight of 14 3-point tries (.571) and committed 22 turnovers compared to only 11 for IWU.

This will be the seventh overall and fourth straight NCAA Dvision III tournament appearance for Illinois Wesleyan, winners of the CCIW regular season and tournament championships for the third straight year.