BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball looks to stay hot Saturday, Dec. 18, as the Titans play host to the University of Chicago in non-conference action. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside the Shirk Center.
    The Titans picked up their fourth straight win Dec. 15, with a 74-59 victory over North Central. The win moved IWU's record to 5-4 overall and 3-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Chicago travels to the Shirk Center with a 6-3 record on the season. The Maroons most recently clobbered Milwaukee School of Engineering, 77-38, on the road, Dec. 14.
    Fans can tune into the game 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.

KP LANDS ON SPORTSCENTER TOP-10: At the end of the third-quarter against North Central Wednesday, Dec. 15, freshman Kate Palmer swiped a pass in front the NCC bench and drained a half court heave. The heady play was recognized on ESPN's SportsCenter's Top-10 Plays, Dec. 16.

THE POWERS THAT BE: Mallory Powers corralled a career-high 16 rebounds in Illinois Wesleyan's win over North Central, Dec. 15. Powers' 16 boards are the most by a Titan since Riley Brovelli set the program record with 20 at Mary Hardin-Baylor, Dec. 28, 2019.
    Furthermore, Powers' 16 caroms are tied for the most by a freshman in IWU history. Christina Solari grabbed 16 rebounds against DePauw Nov. 18, 2006.

SOMEONE ATE THEIR WHEATIES: Freshman Kate Palmer put together a masterful performance against North Central, Dec. 15. The freshman guard posted career-highs of 19 points and six rebounds to lead IWU to a 74-59 win. Palmer converted 7-of-14 shot attempts, highlighted by a 5-of-7 showing from beyond the arc. Her five three-pointers are the most by a Titan since Kendall Sosa converted seven treys against North Park Feb. 27, 2021.

STREAKING!: Illinois Wesleyan extended its win streak to four with a 74-59 triumph over North Central, Dec. 15. With a win against Chicago, the Titans would match their longest streak since winning five in-a-row Feb. 19-March 6, 2020.

WELCOME TO THE 250 CLUB, COACH!: With Illinois Wesleyan's 74-59 win over North Central Wednesday night, Dec. 15, Mia Smith notched the 250th College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin victory of her career. Smith, who holds a 250-90 record in league play, is second all-time in CCIW wins. Former Millikin bench boss Lori Kerans holds the conference record with 295 victories over 32 seasons.

COMEBACK KIDS: Since the start of the 2008-09 season, Illinois Wesleyan has posted 22 wins after trailing by 10-or-more points. The most recent comeback effort came Dec. 15, as IWU overcame a 10-point second quarter deficit to knock off North Central, 74-59.

OLD FACES, NEW PLACES: When the Titans and Maroons square off Saturday, Illinois Wesleyan fans will see a familiar face on the wrong bench. Chicago assistant coach Michelle Bilek graduated from IWU in 2013, following an outstanding career in which she helped the Titans to the 2012 NCAA Division III Championship. A captain as a senior, Bilek scored 426 points, grabbed 204 rebounds, and added 122 assists.

MATCHUPS WITH THE MAROONS: Saturday afternoon's tilt will mark the 15th meeting between Illinois Wesleyan and Chicago. The series is even at 7-7, with IWU claiming the last meeting, 89-82, in Chicago, Nov. 12, 2019. Kendall Sosa put up 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting, while Riley Brovelli added a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double. Sydney Shanks tallied 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Brooke Lansford contributed 10 points.

THE 51ST YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan, now in its 51st year of women's basketball, has compiled a 676-484 overall record. IWU's .583 all-time win percentage includes a 312-193 CCIW mark.

PROVEN KEYS TO VICTORY: With eight games complete, Illinois Wesleyan has established keys to victory. Illinois Wesleyan is 5-1 on the year when winning the rebounding battle and 5-2 when committing fewer turnovers than its opposition. When it comes to the scoreboard, IWU's magic number appears to be 70. The Green and White are 5-1 when scoring 70-or-more points, while the Titans boast a 5-2 record when holding opponents to fewer than 70 points.

HELPING HAND: Senior Brooke Lansford has been one of the CCIW's top floor generals this season, as the Titans' starting point guard leads the conference with 4.0 assists per game. She ranked 87th nationally in assist average, while her 36 assists are 126th-most in all of Division III.

DAUNTING DEFENSE: Illinois Wesleyan's best offensive threat this season has proven to be its defense, as the Titans have made a living cashing in on the miscues of their opponents. IWU is forcing a CCIW-best 25.12 turnovers per game, the 19th-most in Division III. The Green and White boasts a turnover margin of +5.62, the second-best in the CCIW, as well as the 43rd-highest nationally. Fueled by its daunting run-and-jump full-court press, Illinois Wesleyan is snagging 13.0 steals per game. The clip ranks second in the CCIW and 27th across all of Division III.

TITAN TRIO: The freshman trio of Lauren Huber, Mallory Powers, and Kate Palmer are scattered throughout the CCIW's top-25 statistical rankings through nine games. In fact, IWU is the only team in the conference that has a freshman ranked in the league's top-10 in scoring, rebounding, steals, and field goal percentage.
    Huber ranks sixth in the league in scoring at 14.3 points per game, the highest average of any freshman. Palmer is 24th at 8.7 points per contest. The duo are the only freshmen on the CCIW's top-25 rebounding chart, with Huber tied for sixth (7.1 rpg) and Powers tied for eighth (6.2). Huber is tied for sixth in steals (2.3 spg), while Powers checks in tied for 22nd (1.3 spg). Additionally, Huber's field goal percentage (49.0) is fourth-best in the league. Huber also ranks 13th in free throw percentage at 71.8. Elsewhere, Palmer is tied for seventh (1.7) and Powers is tied for 13th (1.3) in three-pointers made per game.

THE DEAN OF THE CCIW: The 2021-21 season marks the 24th year under the direction of Mia Smith, the longest tenured coach in the CCIW. Smith's 443 wins are the most among active CCIW coaches by more than 150. Additionally, Smith's CCIW wins are the second-most in league history.
    Under the tutelage of Smith, IWU has won eight CCIW Championships and made nine NCAA Tournament appearances. The Titans won the 2012 NCAA Division III Championship following a fourth-place finish in 2011.

HOME COOKING: One of the greatest athletic venues in NCAA Division III, the Shirk Center has been home to more than 600 Titan basketball games between both the men and women. In the 26-year history of the Shirk Center, the women have won 239 of 318 of its games on its home court, good for a .751  win percentage.

ON THE HORIZON: The Titans close out the calendar year with a pair of non-conference games out west. IWU will battle George Fox, Dec. 30, at 6 p.m. PT is a rematch of the 2012 NCAA Division III title game, before taking on Pacific, Dec. 31, at 4 p.m. PT.