Box Score

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball team set school records for points and field goals in a game in a 126-98 win over Olivet Nazarene at the Shirk Center on Monday (Dec. 12).

The Titans, now 4-4, and Tigers also combined for an IWU home court record 224 points in a game, topping the old mark of 205 (Millikin beat IWU 103-102 in overtime in 1991). The combined record, including road games, is 216, set in 2010 when Olivet Nazarene beat IWU, 110-106 in overtime.

The 126 points bested the record of 114, set in a 114-60 win over Milwaukee School of Engineering on Dec. 29, 2007, and Illinois Wesleyan had 48 field goals, eclipsing the mark of 43, set three different times.
IWU's 34 assists is second most in a single game.

Illinois Wesleyan shot "lights-out", literally, as a power failure took out a portion of the gym's lights for a brief period of time in the first half.
With 76 points in the paint and 24 fast-break points, IWU was 48-of-84 from the field and that .571 percentage is fifth best in a single game in IWU women's history. IWU connected on only two of 11 3-point free tries (.182) while making 28 of 31 free throws (.903).

With 15:06 to play in the first half, Wesleyan trailed 15-14 before going on an 11-0 run to claim a 25-15 lead with 13:28 to go before halftime. IWU led 64-50 at intermission and had a 31-point lead three times late in the game.

The Titans had seven players score in double figures, led by 27 points from senior Olivia Lett with 14 each contributed by junior Melissa Gardner, sophomore Colleen McMahon and off the bench from sophomore Katy Seibring. Senior Karen Solari had 13 points to go with eight rebounds and a team-high eight assists, while senior Brittany Hasselbring scored 12 and sophomore Taylor Reaber had 10.

Lett also led IWU with 12 rebounds as the teams each had 52 boards.

Olivet Nazarene fell to 10-3 with its second straight loss. The Tigers had five in double figures, led by Miranda Geever with 16 points, and ONU had 30 offensive rebounds. The Tigers were guilty of 27 turnovers compared to 25 for Illinois Wesleyan.

The Tigers shot 35.1 percent (33 of 84) from the field and made 15 of 53 (28.3 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc. Olivet Nazarene made 17 of the 28 free throws they tried (60.7 percent).

Illinois Wesleyan continues play against NAIA opponents on Saturday at 5 p.m. when they host St. Francis. There will be a banner unveiled at the Shirk Center immediately prior to that game, honoring the NCAA Division III fourth place finish by last year's team.