BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team travels down to Decatur, Ill. for a rematch between the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin leaders Monday night, Feb. 7. Tipoff between IWU and Millikin University is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Griswold Center.
    Illinois Wesleyan is winners of three in-a-row and seven of its past eight ahead of Monday's clash. The Titans are 13-7 overall and 10-1 in the CCIW after dispatching Carthage College 58-52, Feb. 5. Millikin, which is also 10-1 in the CCIW, enters Monday 16-4 on the season overall. The Big Blue extended their win streak to three with a 73-59 clobbering of Carroll University, Feb. 5.
    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.

PINK ZONE PARTY: Illinois Wesleyan led by as many as 18 in its 58-52 win over Carthage Saturday, Feb. 5. The Titans win came as IWU hosted its annual Pink Zone game, which included a celebration of head coach Mia Smith being cancer free for 10 years. In conjunction with the game, all ticket proceeds from the contest are being donated to the local community cancer center.

LIGHTS OUT LANSFORD: Senior Brooke Lansford willed her team to a win over Carthage, Feb. 5, with a career day. Lansford went off for 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting, highlighted by an impressive 6-for-9 effort from distance. Lansford's point total is the highest since Kendall Sosa dropped 34 against North Park Feb. 27, 2021.
Equally impressive was Lansford's clean play at the point guard position, where she added two rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Lansford played all 40 minutes for the Titans, without a turnover as IWU's primary ball handler.

MATCHIN' UP WITH MILLIKIN: Monday night's matchup will mark the 100th edition of the Illinois Wesleyan-Millikin rivalry, a series that dates back to the 1972-73 season. IWU held off MU in the initial meeting, 38-33, and won the first four games between the two conference foes. Overall, Millikin owns a 53-46 edge in the all-time series, but Illinois Wesleyan has won 12 of the past 15 meetings.
Additionally, IWU is 35-18 against MU under the direction of Mia Smith.

GOING INTO GRISWOLD: The Titans' last few trips to the Griswold Center have not lacked the dramatics, but have seen IWU come away with one win in three tries. Most recently, MU protected home court to secure the CCIW Championship with a 72-59 defeat of IWU March 9, 2021. Prior to that, a record-setting 47-point performance by Kendall Sosa propelled the Titans past the Big Blue, 81-72, in overtime. Millikin prevailed, 75-71, when the two met in Decatur Feb. 12, 2020.

TAKING IT UP A NOTCH: Since beginning CCIW play in December, the Titans have taken their play to another level. With 10 conference games under their belts, the Titans lead the conference in scoring (73.4 ppg), scoring margin (+15.9),  three-pointers made per game (7.5), offensive rebounds (15.3), turnover margin (+8.36), and blocked shots (3.73 bpg).

NO LOVE LOST: In Illinois Wesleyan 68-49 win at North Park, Jan. 24, the Titans held the Vikings without a three-pointer. NPU finished the game 0-for-11 from beyond the arc, marking the first time IWU has not allowed a triple since holding Rose-Hulman to 0-for-7 from deep Nov. 30, 2016.

ONE OF THE TOP TITANS: Illinois Wesleyan fans will see a familiar face leading the Big Blue in fourth-year head coach Olivia Lett when IWU and Millikin square off Thursday, Feb. 3. One of the greatest basketball players in IWU history, Lett was a three-year letterwinner for the Titans from 2009-12. The 2012 CCIW Player of the Year, Lett led Illinois Wesleyan to a NCAA Division III National Championship in 2012.
    She finished her career ranked second all-time in scoring average at 15.4 ppg, tied for second in blocks (70), third in free throw percentage (.829), seventh all-time with 1,354 points, ninth in field goals made (474), and 10th in three-pointers made (135) and free throws made (271).

PROVEN KEYS TO VICTORY: With 20 games complete, Illinois Wesleyan has established keys to victory. Illinois Wesleyan is 10-1 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 10-1 when scoring 70-or-more points, while the Titans are 1-4 when opponents eclipse 70 points. IWU is also 8-0 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 4.0 assists per game. She also ranks 41st in all of Division III with 80 assists this season.
She notched her 200th career assist in IWU's win at Elmhurst, Jan. 12, and currently sits 19th on IWU's career assist list with 228. She is five behind former teammate Sydney Shanks for 18th.

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 24.53 turnovers per game, the 15th-most in Division III as of Feb. 3. The Green and White boasts a turnover margin of +7.42, the best in the CCIW, as well as the 15th-highest nationally. Fueled by its daunting run-and-jump full-court press, Illinois Wesleyan is snagging 13.1 steals per game. The clip ranks second in the CCIW and 24th across all of Division III.

R-N-J BABY: The Titans full-court press has flustered the opposition this season, and Elmhurst was no different. The Green and White forced 34 Bluejay turnovers, leading to 42 IWU points in its win Jan. 26. It marked the 14th time this season IWU has forced 20-or-more miscues. In fact, the Titans are 11-3 when doing so, compared to 1-4 when opponents record fewer than 20 turnovers.

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 451 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.

THE 51ST YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan, now in its 51st year of women's basketball, has compiled a 684-487 overall record. IWU's .584 all-time win percentage includes a 319-193 CCIW mark.

ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan returns to Shirk for the first of two straight home games Wednesday, Feb. 9. The Titans will host North Park University for a 7 p.m. contest, before welcoming Wheaton College to Bloomington Saturday, Feb. 12, for Senior Day.