BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- The No. 17-ranked Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball team defeated North Central College by a final score of 108-54 on Wednesday, Jan. 24 from the Shirk Center. Freshman Sam Munroe scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, besting her previous career mark of nine points set on Dec. 4, 2017 against Eureka College.

With a win the Titans improved to 16-2 on the season with a 9-0 mark in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). North Central fell to 4-14 with a 2-7 record in conference play following a loss to the Titans.

Illinois Wesleyan shot a whopping .562 percent from the field on 41-of-73 shooting, which included a 10-of-23 (.435 percent) mark from beyond the arc. The Titans were efficient in finding open shooters, assisting on 30 of the 41 made baskets. IWU took care of the basketball, finishing with a 3:1 assist/turnover ratio. All 13 members of the Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball team saw action on Wednesday with each player scoring. IWU outscored North Central 50-28 in the paint and out-rebounded the Cardinals 40-38.

Defensively the Titans held North Central to .328 percent shooting on 64 shot attempts. The Cardinals, who came into the game ranked No. 5 in the country in 3-point attempts, finished 5-of-35 (.143 percent) from beyond the arc and were 3-of-22 in the second half of action. Illinois Wesleyan collected 22 steals off of 35 North Central turnovers and scored 40 points off of turnovers.

Senior Molly McGraw was second on the team in scoring with 17 points, followed 13 from each of junior Maddie Merritt and freshman Raven Hughes. Freshman Kendall Sosa was the final double figure scorer for the Titans with 10. Sosa finished with a game-high nine assists and tied senior Kelsey Walsberg for the team-high in rebounding with six. Sophomore Sydney Shanks led the team with four steals.

Down 12-10 in the first quarter, Illinois Wesleyan rattled off a 29-0 run to take a commanding 39-12 lead over the Cardinals with 5:58 remaining in the second quarter. Munroe and McGraw combined to score 16 of the teams 29 points during the run that amassed 10 minutes of play. Illinois Wesleyan outscored North Central 34-9 in the second quarter en route to a 56-21 lead at the break.

After a closely contested third quarter the Titans pulled away further in the fourth, utilizing a 10-0 run to take a 100-47 lead. A 3-pointer from Walsberg with 2:16 remaining gave the Titans their largest lead of the game at 56 points.

North Central was led in scoring by Mayson Whipple who finished with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting alongside four rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Rebekah Foley led the team with six rebounds and was the second leading scorer with nine points.

What's Next?

The Titans are at home Saturday, Jan. 27 with a 5 p.m home game against North Park. North Park enters Saturday's action with an 8-10 record which includes a 3-6 mark in CCIW play. Saturday's game is the 11th annual Pink Zone game to raise money and awareness for the local Community Cancer Center. Five seasons ago head coach Mia Smith was in her own fight against breast cancer, so this day has special meaning to Illinois Wesleyan and the women's basketball program.