BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – A short turnaround sends the Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team to Elmhurst University Monday, Jan. 10, for a 7 p.m. tipoff at R.A. Faganel Hall.
Illinois Wesleyan heads into the game with a 7-6 overall record (4-0 CCIW) and eyes its best start to College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play in four years. The Titans most recently clobbered Carthage College, 79-60, Jan. 8. Meanwhile the Bluejays will return to the court for the first time since defeating Coe College, 76-73, Dec. 20. Elmhurst is 2-10 overall, 0-4 in the CCIW, and had lost four straight prior to beating the Kohawks.
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.

AN EVEN DOZEN: The Titans never trailed en route to defeating Carthage for the 12th straight time as IWU left Tarble Arena victorious, 79-60. IWU, which led by as many as 33, never trailed and led for 39 minutes and 32 seconds of the game.

BOWEN'S BACK!: Returning to action for the first time since Dec. 18, senior Kaia Bowen showed no signs of rust in IWU's win at Carthage, Jan. 8. The Rantoul, Ill. native scored 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and notched a pair of steals in 16 minutes of action. Moreoever, Bowen was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 4-for-4 at the free throw line.

R-N-J BABY: The Titans full-court press has flustered the opposition this season, and Carthage was no different. The Green and White forced 21 Firebird turnovers, leading to 24 IWU points in its win at Tarble Arena, Jan. 8. It marked the 10th time this season Illinois Wesleyan has forced 20-or-more miscues. In fact, the Titans are 7-3 when doing so, compared to 0-3 when opponents record fewer than 20 turnovers.

A QUARTER OF THE WAY THERE: Through its first four games of its 16-game CCIW slate, Illinois Wesleyan sits tied atop the standings with Millikin. IWU is 4-0 in league play, with MU at 5-0. The undefeated start matches IWU's best start since the 2018-19 season, while a 5-0 start would be the Green and White's best since winning 11 in-a-row in 2017-18.

BATTLING THE BLUEJAYS: Monday night's CCIW clash will mark the 77th all-time meeting between Illinois Wesleyan and Elmhurst since the two first tangled during the 1981-82 campaign. The Bluejays took the first meeting, 75-67, but the Titans own a 60-16 edge in the all-time series and have won 10 straight against Elmhurst. Additionally, IWU is 43-6 against EU under Mia Smith.
Illinois Wesleyan used a big first quarter to blow by the Bluejays, 77-52, in the CCIW Quarterfinals March 4, 2021, inside the Shirk Center. Kendall Sosa and Samantha Munroe scored 18 points apiece, and Catie Eck added nine points and seven rebounds off the bench.

THE 51ST YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan, now in its 51st year of women's basketball, has compiled a 678-486 overall record. IWU's .582 all-time win percentage includes a 313-193 CCIW mark.

PROVEN KEYS TO VICTORY: With 13 games complete, Illinois Wesleyan has established keys to victory. Illinois Wesleyan is 6-1 on the year when winning the rebounding battle. When it comes to the scoreboard, IWU's magic number appears to be 70. The Green and White are 6-1 when scoring 70-or-more points, while the Titans are 1-3 when opponents eclipse 70 points. IWU is also 5-0 when compiling a better shooting percentage than the opposition this season.

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 3.8 assists per game. She also ranks 55th in all of Division III with 55 assists this season.
She currently sits at 192 career assists and is just eight away from becoming the 23rd Titan to notch 200-or-more in a career. She currently ranks 24th on IWU's career assist list, just one behind former teammate Samantha Munroe (193).

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 24.42 turnovers per game, the 27th-most in Division III. The Green and White boasts a turnover margin of +5.1, the second-best in the CCIW, as well as the 42nd-highest nationally. Fueled by its daunting run-and-jump full-court press, Illinois Wesleyan is snagging 12.77 steals per game. The clip ranks fourth in the CCIW and 33rd across all of Division III.

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 445 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.

BALANCE IN THE POINTS COLUMN: Illinois Wesleyan has had one of the most balanced offenses in the CCIW this season through 13 games. In fact, Illinois Wesleyan is the only team in the conference with five players ranked in the league's top-25 in points per game. Additionally, IWU is the only school in the league with three freshmen on the list.
    Lauren Huber is sixth at 14.3 points per game, the highest mark on any freshman in the CCIW. Brooke Lansford is ninth at 12.5 ppg, Catie Eck is 18th at 9.8 ppg, and Kate Palmer is 22nd with 9.0 ppg. Mallory Powers rounds things out in a tie for 25th with 8.5 points per contest.

PHENOMENAL FRESHMEN: The Titan have seen the freshmen trio of Lauren Huber, Kate Palmer, and Mallory Powers grow into their roles over the course of the season. The trio have been some of the best freshmen in the CCIW this season, as IWU is the only school in the league with freshmen ranked in the conference's top-25 in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, and steals.
In point per game, Huber is sixth (13.6), Palmer is 22nd (9.0), and Powers is tied for 25th (8.5). Huber is IWU's top rebounder at 7.2 caroms per contest, fifth-most in the league, while Powers' 5.5 are tied for 14th-most in the CCIW. Huber's field goal percentage of 50.0 in third-best in the conference, while she is 13th in free throw percentage at 70.2. Palmer is tied for sixth with 1.8 three-pointers per game, with Powers just behind her at 1.4 per game (tied for 13th). Huber is also third on the Titans and tied for eighth in the CCIW with 1.9 steals per game.

ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan closes out its lengthy roadtrip Wednesday night, Jan. 12, with a game at North Park University. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside NPU's Gymnasium.