BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A short-handed Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team used a late run to fend off Millikin University in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play Saturday afternoon, Jan. 4, inside the Shirk Center. Juniors Catie Eck (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) and Anna Lowis (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) stepped up in the absence of Sydney Shanks and Samantha Munroe, making the most of their first career starts to fuel IWU to an 86-81 victory. 

Millikin held a 61-56 lead into the final 10 minutes of play, but a Lowis layup and a three-pointer by junior Kendall Sosa (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) quickly evened the score at 61 all. The back-and-forth affair continued as the two teams played to a 68-68 deadlock with five minutes to play before Sosa found junior Riley Brovelli (Oglesby, Ill.-LaSalle-Peru) for a jumper to give Illinois Wesleyan a 70-68 edge.

Brovelli's bucket proved to be just the spark the Titans needed as IWU closed out the game at the free throw line to come away with the crucial conference victory. With the win, Illinois Wesleyan improved to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in CCIW play. Meanwhile, Millikin dipped to 8-4 overall and 1-2 in league games.

Lowis turned in her first career double-double with a 10 point and 14 rebound performance, both career highs. Brovelli blocked a career-high five shots to go with a 10 point, 10 rebound double-double. Other players scoring career highs in points were Lansford with 20 and Eck with 18.

An Eck three-ball and a layup by Lowis broke a 15-15 tie and put the Titans in front by five, 20-15, after one quarter of play.

The Big Blue controlled the second frame, outscoring IWU 19-10, to take a 34-30 lead into the break.

In the third period, Illinois Wesleyan trailed by as many as seven before regaining momentum in the final stanza. 

IWU returns to the Shirk Center to compete against North Park University in a CCIW matchup, Wednesday, Jan. 8. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.