WAUKESHA, Wis. - A slow shooting night paired with a hot-offensive showing by the opposition saw the Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team's win streak halted at five with a 75-57 loss at Carroll University Saturday, Dec. 3. The Titans fell to 5-3 on the year and 1-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, while the Pioneers improved to 5-4 overall and 2-0 in league play.

Illinois Wesleyan could not find its footing offensively, shooting just 22-of-68 from the field (32.4 percent). IWU went 8-for-25 from distance and 5-of-8 at the free throw line. On the flipside, Carroll boasted a 59.3 field goal percentage (32-of-54). A majority of CU's points came inside the arc, as the Pios hit only four three-pointers, and held a 48-22 advantage in points in the paint. 

The Green and White won the turnover battle 16-12, but Carroll held a 17-15 edge in points off turnovers. CU also compiled a 22-21 advantage in bench points and a 10-6 lead in transition.

Senior Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West) finished with team-highs of 12 points, four assists, and two steals. Sophomore Kate Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) hit a trio of three-balls for nine points. Junior Caite Knutson (Maryville, Ill.-Collinsville) pulled in a team-high six rebounds to go with four points.

Two free throws from senior Kelly Carlson (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) came less than 40 seconds into the game, tying the score at two. IWU could not buy a bucket from there though, going 0-for-8 from the floor while CU hit 6-of-8 shots to take a 13-2 lead midway through the period.

After the Pios stretched their lead to 15-2, sophomore Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy) forced a turnover and Heller found the sophomore spotted up for a three-ball to trim the lead to 10. The bucket was the start of a 7-0 run for the Titans, before a Carroll make.

Trailing 17-9 after 10 minutes of action, the Green and White found some momentum in the second period. After a three-pointer from Palmer and free throw from sophomore Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East), Knutson picked off a pass near mid-court and took it in for two. The quick basket off the CU miscue pulled IWU within four, 22-18.

Carroll responded with a three-pointer and answered buckets by Heller and Knutson to take a 27-22 lead at the under-five media timeout. A triple from Palmer ended a brief run from the Pioneers and trimmed the deficit to six, 31-25, as the teams headed to halftime.

Carroll came out strong in the third, opening up a 14-point advantage to force an Illinois Wesleyan timeout with 5:33 left in the quarter. The pause did little to slow the Pioneers, as the home team took a 64-39 advantage into the final stanza.

Illinois Wesleyan came out with a 10-0 run, highlighted by three-pointers from junior Taylor Tarver (Oswego, Ill.-Oswego) and Palmer, to cut Carroll's lead to 64-49. The Green and White's comeback ran out of steam from there though, as IWU saw its win streak halted with a 75-52 setback.

The Titans will look to get back on track Saturday, Dec. 10, when IWU plays host to North Central College. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. inside the Shirk Center and will serve as the first part of a doubleheader with the IWU men's basketball team.