Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
Kendall Sosa dribbles off a screen in IWU's win over North Park, Feb. 27
Dave Naprstek
53
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 6-3,4-3 CCIW
42
North Park NPU 9-5,8-4 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
6-3,4-3 CCIW
53
Final
42
North Park NPU
9-5,8-4 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 10 10 21 12 53
North Park NPU 15 12 7 8 42

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women's Basketball Advances to CCIW Title Game with Gritty Win at North Park

Titans trailed by as many as 12

CHICAGO - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team advanced to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament Championship with a come-from-behind win at North Park University Saturday afternoon, March 6. The Titans, who trailed by as many as 12 in the contest, outscored the Vikings by 18 points in the second half to secure a 53-42 win.

Third-seeded Illinois Wesleyan improved to 6-3 on the season with the victory, while second-seeded North Park finished the season at 9-5.

Senior Kendall Sosa (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community) tallied a game-high 28 points, three steals, three rebounds, and a pair of assists to lead the Titans. Junior Brooke Lansford (Leawood, Kan.-Blue Valley West) added eight points and a career-best eight assists, while senior Riley Brovelli (Oglesby, Ill.-LaSalle-Peru) pulled down a team-best nine rebounds to go along with six points and two blocks.

Illinois Wesleyan converted 33.3 percent (18-of-54) of its shot attempts overall, went 4-of-17 in three-point tries, and 13-for-17 at the free throw line. IWU's defense smothered NPU, as the Vikings finished 17-for-57 from the floor, 3-for-18 from distance, and 5-for-15 in freebies.

The Titans made a living in transition, outscoring the Vikings 21-5 in fastbreak points. IWU, which won the rebounding battle 43-41, also held an 8-4 lead in second chance points and a 14-13 lead in points off turnovers. IWU tallied nine steals on 17 NPU turnovers, with Sosa, Lansford, and junior Catie Eck (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart Griffin) tallying three apiece.

North Park scored the game's first three points, and eight of the first 10, en route to a 15-10 lead after 10 minutes of play.

In the second period, a pair of free throws by Sosa cut the IWU deficit to three, 15-12. A five-minute long scoring drought allowed NPU to push its lead to 12, 27-15, with 1:17 to go until the break. The Vikings' 15-2 run was followed by five points by Sosa, sending the Titans into halftime trailing, 27-20.

Midway through the third quarter, Lansford slipped a pass to Brovelli for a layup to trim North Park's lead to one, 32-31. IWU got back-to-back defensive stops and capitalized with three free throws from junior Kaia Bowen (Rantoul, Ill.-St. Thomas More) to take its first lead of the game, 34-32, with 4:06 to play in the frame.

North Park evened the score at 34 all moments later, but a Lansford three-ball sparked a 7-0 Illinois Wesleyan run to close out the third quarter.

In front 41-34 with 10 minutes left, the Titans saw the Vikings pull within six, 48-42, with 3:24 to play. IWU answered with a three-pointer by Sosa in transition before closing out the 11-point win at the free throw line.

Illinois Wesleyan will travel to Decatur, Ill. to take on top-seeded Millikin University Tuesday night, March 9, in the CCIW Tournament Championship. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Griswold Center.
Print Friendly Version