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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Twenty-point showings from senior Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West) and sophomore Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East) powered the Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team to a 78-69 win over Augustana College Saturday afternoon, Jan. 14, inside the Shirk Center. (Photo by Kodiak Creative/Jimmy Naprstek)
Kodiak Creative
52
North Park NPU 7-12,3-7 CCIW
86
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 11-8,6-4 CCIW
North Park NPU
7-12,3-7 CCIW
52
Final
86
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
11-8,6-4 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
North Park NPU 16 14 16 6 52
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 28 12 23 23 86

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women's Hoops Rolls Past North Park for Third Straight Win

Titans shoot 55.2 percent from the floor

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Hot shooting powered the Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team to a convincing win over North Park University inside the Shirk Center Wednesday night, Jan. 25. The Titans (11-8, 6-4 CCIW) used their strength inside to carve up the Vikings (7-12, 3-7 CCIW), 86-52, for their third straight win.

Illinois Wesleyan saw several strong performances, including another double-double from sophomore Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East). Huber led the Green and White with team-highs of 22 points and 12 rebounds. Junior Caite Knutson (Maryville, Ill.-Collinsville) added 18 points and six boards to go along with three assists, while the point guard duo of Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West) and Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) stuffed the stat sheet. Heller finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and six assists, while White narrowly missed a double-double. The freshman guard tallied 12 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

The Green and White knocked down 55.2 percent of its shots despite going just 5-for-20 from distance. IWU finished the game 7-for-12 at the free throw line. Meanwhile, NPU converted 20-of-59 attempts, 4-of-17 threes, and 8-of-18 free throws.

IWU mounted a 50-27 rebounding advantage, which led to a 44-20 lead in points in the paint and an 11-9 edge in second chance scoring. 

The Titans flexed their muscles in the paint early on, riding strong starts from Huber, Knutson, and Heller to a 28-16 lead. IWU shot a whopping 67 percent from the floor in the period, going 12-for-18 from the floor. Illinois Wesleyan created a 16-8 advantage in points in the paint over the first 10 minutes of play.

In the second quarter, North Park rallied back within eight, but White hit a stepback jumper to reclaim a double-digit lead. The freshman point guard then tossed a pass to fellow freshman Sara Balli (Bloomingdale, Ill.-Lake Park) for a layup in transition, giving IWU a 38-26 lead with 2:51 to go.

Sophomore Kate Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) slipped a heady pass over the top to Knutson for a bucket, capping the first-half scoring as IWU held a 40-30 lead at the break.

The Titans expanded their lead in the third quarter, taking a 63-46 lead into the final period.

In the fourth, IWU controlled the pace and built up a 34-point lead as NPU managed just six points in the frame. The Titans saw buckets by seniors Claire Retherford (Foosland, Ill.-Gibson City/Melvin Sibley) and Megan Moody (Gibson City, Ill.-Gibson City/Melvin Sibley) in the final minutes, putting a bow on Illinois Wesleyan's 86-52 victory.

IWU puts its three-game win streak on the line Saturday, Jan. 28, with a trip to Augustana College. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Rock Island, Ill.

 
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