BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team takes looks to bounce back Saturday, Dec. 10, with a 5 p.m. clash with North Central College inside the Shirk Center. The game is the first half of a double feature with the IWU men's basketball team.
Illinois Wesleyan boasts a 6-3 overall record ahead of Saturday's game, but finds itself even at 1-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin following a loss at Carroll University, Dec 3. Meanwhile, North Central sits at 2-6 on the year and has dropped its first two league games of the year. Most recently, the Cardinals were overpowered, 75-52, at home by North Park University, Dec. 3.
Fans can tune into the game via live stats, live stream, or a radio broadcast of the game. Links on how to follow along can be found on the women's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.
CLASHES WITH THE CARDINALS: Saturday's CCIW contest between the Titans and Cardinals will serve as the 91st chapter in a history that dates back 40 years. Despite North Central winning the first seven showdowns, including an 81-76 win in the initial meeting in 1979, Illinois Wesleyan leads the all-time series 51-30. Additionally, IWU is 39-11 against NCC under the direction of Mia Smith and is winners of nine of the last 11 meetings.
The Titans swept last season's meetings with the Cardinals, beginning with a 74-59 victory at the Shirk Centrer Dec. 15, 2021. IWU then outlasted NCC, 65-63, in Naperville Feb. 16, 2022. Strong shooting from beyond the arc lifted the Titans to victory each time, as Illinois Wesleyan went a combined 17-for-39 (43.6 percent) from three-point range against the Cardinals last season.
KEYS TO VICTORY: With nine games complete, IWU has already developed several keys to victory. Illinois Wesleyan is 6-0 when scoring 60+ points, and also boasts a 6-0 mark when limiting opponents to no more than 59 points. Additionally, the Green and White is 6-0 when winning the turnover margin as opposed to 0-2 when finishing with more miscues than its opponent.
THE 52nd YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan, now in its 52nd year of women's basketball, has compiled a 697-492 overall record. IWU's .586 all-time win percentage includes a 326-196 CCIW mark.
THE DEAN OF THE CCIW: The 2022-23 season marks the 25th year under the direction of Mia Smith, the longest tenured coach in the CCIW. Smith's 464 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 10 CCIW Championships and made 10 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 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 its 27-year history, the women have won 246 of 325 of its home games, good for a .757 win percentage.
TENACIOUS TITAN DEFENSE: The Titans' trademark run-and-jump full-court press has IWU among the best in the conuntry in turnover margin this season. In fact, Illinois Wesleyan is +6.78 in the turnover tally, the best mark in the league. Nationally, the Titans' mark ranks 30th. The Green and White hold a 5-0 record when forcing 20+ miscues compared to a 1-3 record when opponents have less than 20 turnovers.
PUTTING UP THE POINTS: The Titans have scored 675 points through eight games, the 20th-most in all of Division III as well as the most in the CCIW. Not only is IWU pushing up the score on the scoreboard, Illinois Wesleyan has done so rather efficiently. The Green and White ranked 25th in the country with a field goal percentage of 43.4.
The Titans are one of six teams nationally to be ranked inside the top-25 in both categories in all of Division III.
ON THE HORIZON: With final exams approaching, the Titans will take a break from action before returning to the court Saturday, Dec. 17, inside the Shirk Center. IWU will host conference foe Wheaton College for a 2 p.m. tipoff as part of the first half of a twin bill with the Titan men's basketball team.
