BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team picked up a key College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin win Saturday night, Dec. 2, inside the Shirk Center as the Titans downed Carroll University, 65-59. Illinois Wesleyan boosted its record to 7-2 overall and 2-0 in league play, while Carroll's record now stands at 5-3 (1-1 CCIW).
Junior Kate Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) put together an unbelievable all-around game, leading the Titans in scoring and shutting down one of the premiere offensive threats in the conference in Carroll's Olivia Rangel. Palmer scored a team-high 16 points with four rebounds and three assists. She limited Rangel to just two points, well below her season average of 18.9, and seven turnovers.
Sophomore Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) was all over the place as well, pulling off a near triple-double. White scored 15 points, aided by a 6-of-6 showing at the free throw line, and dished out eight assists with a whopping eight steals. She also blocked two shots.
Senior Caite Knutson (Maryville, Ill.-Collinsville) scored 14 points and grabbed five rebounds, while junior Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy) pulled in a game-high 10 rebounds and contributed nine points and three assists.
As a team, Illinois Wesleyan notched a field goal percentage of 31.3 percent (20-of-64) and went 8-for-27 from the long line (29.6 percent). IWU finished 17-for-26 at the free throw line. Carroll dominated the paint, 42-22, leading to a 47.3 field goal percentage. The Pioneers were limited to 3-of-15 shooting from distance, and made just six trips to the charity stripe, where they converted four.
The Titans turned the Pios over 24 times and cashed in for a 22-9 advantage in points off of miscues. The fast-paced play also saw the Green and White open up a 20-4 lead in fastbreak scoring.
Offense came slow for both teams as the game saw the two teams combine for just 21 points in the opening period. A three-pointer from White gave IWU its first lead of the day, 4-2, with just under four minutes into the contest. After hitting a trey herself, White found Knutson for a corner three-ball. Powers swiped a steal on one end of the floor before threading a behind-the-back pass to Sara Balli (Bloomingdale, Ill.-Lake Park) for an easy layup as Illinois Wesleyan took a 9-6 lead heading into the first media timeout.
The Titans closed the period on a 5-1 run on the back of a three-pointer by Palmer and a solid drive from White. The Green and White doubled up the Pioneers in the first period, carrying a 14-7 lead into the second.
Illinois Wesleyan made the most of the first possession of the second quarter as Palmer drove and kicked out to Powers for a triple from the wing. The duo teamed up again moments later as Powers made the extra pass on a ball reversal to set Palmer up for the three-pointer to push IWU ahead, 21-7, with 8:15 on the clock.
Carroll responded with a 9-1 run over the next four minutes to trim the Illinois Wesleyan lead to six with 3:45 remaining in the half, but the Titans got some breathing room as Palmer knocked down a three and Knutson hit a free throw.
Leading 46-36 with 10 minutes left, Illinois Wesleyan had to fend off another Carroll comeback effort. The Pioneers pulled within six once again, this time with around two and a half minutes left. With the ball out on the wing, White threw a head fake and slipped a pass down the lane to Powers for a wide open bucket to get IWU back on track.
The Green and White closed it out at the free throw line down the stretch to secure a key CCIW victory, 65-59.
Illinois Wesleyan begins a six-game road trip Wednesday night, Dec. 6, at Wheaton College. Tipoff between the Titans and Thunder is set for 7 p.m. inside King Arena.
