BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team caught fire in the second half to down North Central College, 74-59, inside the Shirk Center Wednesday night, Dec. 15, to remain undefeated in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. The Titans boosted their record to 5-4 overall, 3-0 in the CCIW with the win, while the Cardinals dipped to 4-6 on the season (1-1 CCIW).
Freshman Kate Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) paced the Green and White with a career-high 19 points. Palmer went 7-for-14 from the field and an outstanding 5-for-7 from three-point range, while also adding six rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Senior Brooke Lansford (Leawood, Kan.-Blue Valley West) added 17 points.
Freshman Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy) grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds, to help the Titans to a 41-30 rebounding advantage. The Green and White's lead on the glass made way for a 14-0 edge in second chance points.
As a team, IWU shot 46.3 percent (31-of-67) from the floor, and 44.4 percent (8-for-18) from three-point distance. North Central finished 26-for-59 (44.1 perent) from the field and went 5-for-15 in three-point tries. The teams combined for just nine free throw attempts, with IWU going 4-for-6 and NCC going 2-for-3.
After a sluggish start for both sides, IWU took its first lead of the game with 3:26 to go in the opening period. Junior Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West) drove and kicked to Palmer for a triple to put Illinois Wesleyan up 13-11.
NCC closed the quarter on a 9-4 run before expanding its lead to double digits in the second stanza.
With the Titans trailing 29-19, Palmer converted a three-pointer to pause a Cardinal run. Palmer's trey with 4:38 to play was followed by a floater by junior Emily Collins (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Hersey) and a three-ball from Lansford.
Junior Kelly Carlson (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) trimmed the deficit to one twice, but North Central's Megan McClure hit a jumper with four seconds to go to take a 35-32 edge at halftime.
Senior Kaia Bowen's (Rantoul, Ill.-St. Thomas More) layup got the Titans rolling with 7:20 left in the third, as IWU went on a 9-0 run to push ahead 43-37 halfway through the quarter.
Palmer capped the period with a steal and half court heave to give Illinois Wesleyan a 48-41 lead with 10 minutes left.
The fourth period was all IWU, as the Titans shot 52.6 percent from the field in the period, including 50 percent from distance. The Green and White's strong shooting propelled the Titans to their fourth straight win, 74-59.
IWU takes a break from CCIW play for a three-game non-conference slate beginning Saturday, Dec. 18. Illinois Wesleyan hosts the University of Chicago inside the Shirk Center for a 2 p.m. tip.
