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2022 CCIW Co-Regular Season Champions - women's basketball
Steve Woltmann
65
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 17-8,14-2 CCIW
62
Augustana (IL) AUGIE 12-13,6-10 CCIW
Winner
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
17-8,14-2 CCIW
65
Final
62
Augustana (IL) AUGIE
12-13,6-10 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 15 11 22 17 65
Augustana (IL) AUGIE 15 9 18 20 62

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women's Hoops Edges Augie to Claim Share of CCIW Regular Season Title

Titans claim share of CCIW Regular Season Championship for first time since 2018

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team hung on to defeat Augustana College, 65-62, Saturday night, Feb. 19, at the Carver Center. With the win, the Titans claimed a share of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Regular Season Championship for the first time since 2018.

IWU, which boosted its record to 17-8 overall and 14-2 in the CCIW, overcame a slow offensive night to grind out the win over Augie (12-13, 6-10). The Titans led by as many as 11 in the game, but ultimately it was clutch free throws by senior Kaia Bowen (Rantoul, Ill.-St. Thomas More) that lifted the Green and White to victory.

Bowen led IWU with 18 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter. She hauled in five rebounds and also tied for the team lead with two steals. Senior Brooke Lansford (Leawood, Kan.-Blue Valley West), junior Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West), and freshman Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East) also finished with double-digit points. Lansford scored 13 points, fueled by three triples, while Heller added 13 points off the bench. Heller dished out a team-high four assists, while also adding a pair of steals. Huber finished with 10 points and a team-best nine rebounds.

Illinois Wesleyan shot just 35.3 percent (24-for-68) from the field, and went 4-for-18 from distance. The Titans' strong shooting at the free throw line proved crucial, as IWU went 13-for-17 at the charity stripe. Augustana converted 22-of-55 (40 percent) shot attempts, including 8-of-26 three-point tries, and finished 10-for-16 at the free throw line. 

The Titans used 19 Viking turnovers to make up for their shooting woes, as the Green and White turned the ball over just nine times. IWU scored 18 points off turnovers, and held a commanding 15-0 advantage in fast break points. Augie used a 40-31 rebounding lead to manufacture 24 second chance points. 

Augustana clung to a five-point lead midway through the first quarter, before Illinois Wesleyan strung a few possessions together. A Heller free throw and a baseline runner from Lansford pulled IWU within two, 12-10. 

Heller rolled an assist down the lane to freshman Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy) for an easy lay-in to even the score at 12, before a buzzer-beating three from well-beyond the arc by senior Catie Eck (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) knotted the score at 15 all after 10 minutes of play.

With IWU continuing to struggle to find a consistent offensive rhythm, the Titans defense tightened up. The Green and White held the Vikings scoreless for more than six minutes to inch ahead. A steal by junior Kelly Carlson (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) led to a pair of free throws from Huber, before Heller converted a strong layup to push IWU ahead, 26-22, late in the second period. 

Augie cut the lead in half with 14 seconds to go, the Vikings first bucket since the 6:15 mark, to send the Titans into the break with a slim 26-24 advantage. 

The Green and White came out much more aggressive in the second half, as Eck drew free throws on a drive on the first possession of the period. After a pair of freebies by Eck, Huber hit Powers for a fast break layup to give IWU a 30-26 lead.

The Titans stretched their lead to as many as 11 in the third quarter, but the Vikings fought all the way back. Augustana reclaimed the lead on a three-pointer with 5:31 remaining, to take a 57-56 lead.

Bowen responded with an up-and-under to reclaim the lead for IWU, but Augie came right back with another triple. The latest three, which came around the two minute mark, put the home team up 60-59. 

With the Vikings looking to expand on their lead, Huber pulled down a defensive rebound and took it the length of the floor, before hitting a pull-up jumper. The bucket gave IWU a 61-60 lead with 56 seconds remaining.

Strong defensive possessions and key rebounds by Bowen made way for the senior's clutch free throws in the final minute as Illinois Wesleyan hung on, 65-62.

Illinois Wesleyan will be the No. 2 seed in next week's CCIW Tournament, which will be hosted by Millikin University. The Titans will play in the 5 p.m. semifinal game at the Griswold Center, with IWU's opponent to be determined by the outcome of Tuesday's quarterfinal contests.

 
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