STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Junior Sydney Shanks made four free throws in the final 19 seconds and scored a team-high 22 points as the No. 13-ranked Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball team rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Wisconsin-Stevens Point 77-72 at Berg Gym on Monday, Dec. 3.
 
Winners of four straight, the Titans improved to 6-2 overall with the nonconference win while the Pointers are 2-3.

Senior Maddie Merritt added 19 points with a team-high nine rebounds and sophomore Raven Hughes scored 10 points with eight boards as the Titans outrebounded the Pointers, 37-32.

Illinois Wesleyan had a 19-8 lead after one quarter and enjoyed a 39-31 halftime advantage. But the Pointers roared back to outscore IWU, 28-17 in the third quarter to snag a 59-56 lead. It was a lead they would hang onto until a Merritt basket tied the game at 68-68 with 2:18 remaining.

Trailing by two at 72-70, senior Nina Anderson scored a basket and added a free throw for a conventional 3-point play to put IWU up 73-72 with 51 seconds left. Shanks finished the scoring with her four late free throws as the Titan defense shut out Stevens Point in the final 68 seconds of the game.

The Titans shot .426 from the field (26 of 61) and hit .188 (three of 16) from 3-point range while the Pointers shot .475 (28 of 59) overall and made five of 17 3-pointers (.294). IWU was outstanding at the free throw line, sinking 22 of 26 (.846), compared to 11 of 16 (.688) for UWSP.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point got a game-high 26 points from Bailee Collins, who came off the bench to make 10 of 12 from the floor. Brooke Geier scored 14 points and Carly Cerrato had 10 points and 10 assists.
 
What's Next?
Illinois Wesleyan returns to College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play on Wednesday, Dec. 5, with a 7 p.m. game at Elmhurst College. The Bluejays are 3-3 this year and are opening their CCIW schedule.