NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The 24th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team escaped in overtime, 68-61, at North Central College Saturday night, Dec. 9. The Titans advance to 9-2 on the season and 4-0 in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play. The Cardinals slip to 4-6 on the year and 1-3 in league play.
Illinois Wesleyan nearly saw a 16-point lead slip away, but used key buckets by Caite Knutson (Maryville, Ill.-Collinsville) in the extra period to hold off North Central.
The Cardinals closed regulation with an 11-2 run to send the game to OT tied at 60. The Green and White struck first as a loose ball was scooped up by sophomore Laura Mahlum (Barrington, Ill.-Barrington), who found Knutson for a bucket in the paint.
The 6-foot forward came through twice more, hitting an up-and-under, before converting a tough bucket in transition. The six-point run by Knutson gave IWU a 66-61 lead with just under two minutes to play.
With NCC looking to cut into the Illinois Wesleyan lead, sophomore Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) came through with a steal and a layup to extend the Titan lead to seven, 68-61, with 1:40 to go.
The Titans closed things out from there, ultimately holding on for a 68-61 victory.
Junior Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy) tied a career-high with 20 points, 17 of which came in the first half, and added 10 rebounds to notch a double-double. Knutson added 13 points and six boards on 6-of-9 shooting, while junior
Kate Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) went for 11 points and eight rebounds. She led the team with four assists, while White paced IWU with seven steals. Powers added six thefts.
Illinois Wesleyan finished the game 26-for-64 from the field (40.6 percent), but just 5-for-20 from three-point range. IWU's struggles at the free throw line continued, as the Green and White went 11-for-28 at the stripe. North Central was limited to a 33.8 field goal percentage (23-for-68) and a 3-for-17 three-point showing. NCC went 12-for-17 at the free throw line.
The two teams combined for more than 50 turnovers as IWU was hit for 24 and NCC finished with 28. The Titans held a 27-19 lead in points off turnovers. Despite being outrebounded, 52-41, Illinois Wesleyan built a 12-7 edge in second chance scoring.
Illinois Wesleyan will take a week off for final exams before traveling to current No. 12 University of Chicago for a top-25 matchup next Saturday, Dec. 16. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
