BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team travels to the Windy City for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin clash with league-leading North Park University Wednesday night, Jan. 29. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Illinois Wesleyan slipped to 12-5 overall and 6-2 in CCIW play with a 62-59 loss to preseason favorite Wheaton, Jan. 22. Meanwhile, North Park has won five straight and sits atop the conference standings at 8-1 in league play and 15-3 overall.
Fans can tune into the games via live stats or live stream. Links on how to follow along can be found on the women's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.
I'LL TAKE THREE-POINTERS FOR 100, ALEX: In Illinois Wesleyan's game against Wheaton, Jan. 22, junior Kendall Sosa became the 15th player in IWU history with 100+ career three-pointers made. The Bloomington, Ill. native's 101 career three-pointers are just two behind Maggie Lamb's 14th-ranked total of 103. Mallory Heydorn holds the program record with 281 career triples from 2005 to 2009.
STREAK SNAPPED: With its loss to Wheaton, Jan. 22, Illinois Wesleyan saw its nine-game home win streak snapped. It was IWU's first home setback since a 56-54 loss to Wheaton, Jan. 2, 2019.
TRYING TO JOIN THE CLUB: With eight games to play in the regular season, junior Kendall Sosa is on the verge of becoming just the third Titan all-time to average 20+ points per game for a season. Currently, the junior guard owns a 20.1 points per game average, the best in the CCIW and the 23rd-best nationally. Should Sosa maintain her pace, she will join Lila Naffziger and Olivia Lett as the only other Titans to average 20+ ppg for a season. Naffziger did so in 1979-80, averaging a program record 25.4 ppg, and Lett (21.8 ppg) accomplished the feat in 2011-12.
AT THE MIDPOINT: Illinois Wesleyan heads into the second half of CCIW play second in the league standings at 6-2. North Park leads the conference at 8-1 in CCIW action, while Wheaton (6-3) rounds out the top-three.
TAKING IT UP A NOTCH: Since beginning CCIW play, the Titans have taken their play to another level. With eight league games under their belts IWU leads the conference in scoring (77.1 ppg), scoring margin (+14.0), field goal percentage (45.0), offensive rebounds (13.8 orpg), rebounding margin (+5.5), assists (17.38 apg), and steals (11.0 spg).
ONE OF A HANDFUL: Junior Kendall Sosa has put together quite a season through the Titans first 17 games. In addition to leading Illinois Wesleyan in scoring, Sosa is one of two players in the country to hold a shooting percentage line of at least 40-35-89.
The Bloomington, Ill. native is converting 45.8 percent of her shot attempts, 39.3 percent of her three-pointers, and is shooting 89.6 percent at the free throw line. Camila Casanueva of Brandeis is the only other player to do so, with a line of 40.3-40.0-91.1.
VERSUS THE VIKINGS ALL-TIME: Illinois Wesleyan and North Park will square off for the 70th time Wednesday night, Jan. 29, in Chicago. The Titans hold a commanding 56-13 advantage in the all-time series and have won 32 straight meetings with the Vikings dating back to the 2004-05 season.
Most recently, IWU handed NPU its lone CCIW loss of the season with an 82-51 victory in the Shirk Center, Jan. 8. Kendall Sosa led all scorers with 26 points, while Riley Brovelli added 17 points, eight rebounds, and five steals.
SCOUTING REPORT - NORTH PARK: North Park enters the midweek matchup in sole possession of first place in the CCIW with an 8-1 league record. The Vikings also lead the conference in wins at 15-3 overall and have won five straight since their 31-point loss to the Titans, Jan. 8.
Jayla Johnson leads a Vikings squad that relies heavily on its defensive play as the lone player averaging in double figures at 15.3 points per game. Johnson also paces the team with 6.7 rebounds a contest.
As a team, North Park is holding opponents to just 59.1 points a game, the best mark in the conference. Additionally, the Vikings have recorded 185 steals and forced 372 turnovers.
HOT SHOTS: Illinois Wesleyan has scored 1,246 points this season, the most of any team in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Additionally, IWU's season point total is 29th nationally. Meanwhile, the Titans 73.3 points per game is best in the league and 43rd in the country.
Illinois Wesleyan is 12-2 when scoring 60-or-more points, compared to 0-3 when held under the 60-point mark.
TITAN TRIO QUARTET: Kendall Sosa, Sydney Shanks, Riley Brovelli, and Brooke Lansford have lead the Titans' offense this season. In fact, IWU is the only team in the conference with four players ranked inside the CCIW top-16 in scoring. Sosa tops the league at 20.1 points a game, while Shanks sits eighth (12.5), Brovelli is tied for 12th (11.4), and Lansford is 16th (10.1).
RISING TO THE OCCASION: Since stepping into the starting lineup, Jan. 4, junior Anna Lowis has risen to the challenge. In five starts, Lowis has averaged 9.0 rebounds, 4.6 points, 2.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game for the Titans.
THE 49TH YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan has compiled a 657-472 overall record. IWU's .582 all-time win percentage includes a 301-187 CCIW mark.
SHARING IS CARING: A key to the Titans success through 17 games of the season has been their selflessness. Illinois Wesleyan has dished out 287 assists, the most in the CCIW and the 15th-most in the country. IWU's 16.9 assists per game are 24th-best in the country.
ALL COMES DOWN TO CASHING IN: Free throws have been an indicator of the Titans' success in 2019-20. In fact, IWU is 8-1 when shooting 70 percent-or-better from the charity stripe compared to 4-4 when shooting less than 70 percent from the line. Additionally, Illinois Wesleyan is 8-1 when making 10-or-more free throws.
ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan opens up a three-game homestand Saturday, Feb. 1, when it plays host to Carroll in its annual Pink Zone game. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will serve as the first leg of a double feature with the IWU men's basketball team. Prior to tipoff of the men's game, IWU will recognize former Titan standout Jack Sikma for his induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame.
