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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – A career day from sophomore Catie Eck (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) pushed the Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team past Elmhurst College in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play Thursday night, Feb. 6, inside the Shirk Center. The Titans led by as many as 22 before besting the Bluejays, 85-67, and improve to 14-6 overall and 8-3 in CCIW action. Elmhurst dipped to 7-14 on the season and 2-10 in league play.

Eck scored a game-high and career-best 23 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while going a perfect 11-for-11 at the free throw line. She pulled down five rebounds, tallied four steals, and added an assist in a stat-stuffing performance. Junior Kendall Sosa (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) finished with 16 points, while fellow junior Samantha Munroe (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles East) turned six points and a game-high six assists.

Illinois Wesleyan won the rebounding battle, 32-30, led by eight boards by junior Riley Brovelli (Oglesby, Ill.-LaSalle-Peru).  The edge on the glass saw the Titans outscore the Bluejays 13-7 in second chance points, while also owning a 44 to 26 advantage in the paint. IWU turned EC over 29 times and score 27 points off miscues.

Offensively, the Titans shot 51.7 percent from the floor, going 31-for-60, while the Bluejays finished 23-for-51. IWU converted five three-points to EC's four, and knocked down 18-of-27 free throw attempts.

After a sluggish start, a three-point play by Eck got the Titans on track. Shanks followed with a three-point play of her own, while freshman Hannah Smith (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) and sophomore Brooke Lansford (Leawood, Kan.-Blue Valley West) contributed in a 9-0 IWU run to close out the opening period.

Entering the second quarter in front 16-7, Illinois Wesleyan extended its lead to as many as 14 before going into the break up 37-25.

The Titans maintained control in the third period, as freshman Kelly Carlson (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) found Sosa for a three-pointer and freshman Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West) carved through the lane for a layup at the buzzer.

Ahead by 22 with 10 minutes to play, IWU turned to its freshmen to close out the game in the final stanza. The period saw Claire Retherford (Gibson City, Ill.-Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley), Megan Moody (Gibson City, Ill.-Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley), and Emily Collins (Arlington Heights, Ill.-John Hersey) each post career-highs. Moody scored five points, while Retherford and Collins tallied four points apiece as IWU bested the Bluejays 85-67.

Illinois Wesleyan wraps up its homestand Saturday evening, Feb. 8, against Augustana College. Tipoff of the Senior Night contest is scheduled for 5 p.m., and will see the Titans honor Sydney Shanks prior to tip.