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Catie Eck dribbling vs. WashU
Kodiak Creative
83
Winner WashU WU 1-4,0-0 UAA
72
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 1-4,0-0 CCIW
Winner
WashU WU
1-4,0-0 UAA
83
Final
72
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
1-4,0-0 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
WashU WU 25 24 15 19 83
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 16 11 25 20 72

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Titans’ Comeback Runs Out of Steam in Setback to WashU

Three Titans score in double figures

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team's tenacious run-and-jump press nearly dug the Titans out of an early deficit against Washington University in St. Louis in the consolation final game of the Midwest Challenge Sunday, Nov. 28, inside the Shirk Center. Illinois Wesleyan (1-4) outscored WashU (1-4) 45-34 in the second half, but could not overcome a 22-point first-half deficit in an 83-72 setback.

Scoring droughts paired with strong shooting by the Bears proved to be the Titans' demise, as WashU used six first-half three-pointers to take control, 49-27, at halftime. The Bears shot a blistering 59.4 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes, including 46.2 percent from three-point range, while the Titans recorded a 35.5 clip overall and went 2-for-8 in three-ball attempts.

Illinois Wesleyan's tenacious run-and-jump press flustered the Bears in the second half. After senior Catie Eck (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) hit a triple, freshman Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East) swiped a pass and fed Eck on a layup. Huber then picked off another pass in the full-court press and Eck converted another layup, before Eck found junior Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West) for a backdoor bucket. Heller's layup capped a 13-0 run by the Green and White, and trimmed the WashU advantage to 49-40.

WashU responded with back-to-back baskets to go up 53-40, before junior Kelly Carlson (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) swiped a pass at half court and found freshman Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy) for a bucket in transition midway though the third quarter. 

Freshman Kate Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) sank a floater out of the media timeout, to pull Illinois Wesleyan within seven, 53-46, but WashU went on to regain control, 59-48. 

Fueled by the full-court press once again, Eck snatched a WashU pass and found Palmer for a quick two to cut the Bears' lead to 75-66 with 3:06 to go.

Illinois Wesleyan's comeback ran out of steam from there, as WashU closed it out, 83-72.

Huber led all scorers with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while also adding five rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals. Eck contributed a season-high 15 points, 11 of which came in the second half. Palmer tallied a career-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including a pair of triples, with Heller adding eight points. 

Powers paced the Green and White with a game-high seven rebounds, while tying Eck for the team-lead with three steals. 

For the game, IWU shot 49.2 percent (30-of-61) from the field and went 4-for-15 from the long line. WashU finished the game 33-for-65 (50.8 percent) from the field, 10-of-21 (47.6 percent) from three, and a perfect 7-for-7 at the free throw line. Illinois Wesleyan went 8-for-13 from the charity stripe. 

The Titans held a 26-23 advantage in fast break points, as well as a 46-42 edge in points in the paint. The Bears owned the upper hand in second chance points, 14-9, behind 14 offensive rebounds as part of a 36-27 rebounding advantage for WashU. 

Non-conference play rolls on for IWU, as the Titans host Eureka College Wednesday night, Dec. 1. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. inside the Shirk Center and will serve as the first leg of a doubleheader with the IWU men's basketball team. The men will play the University of Chicago at 7 p.m.

 
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