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Sawyer White on the attack
73
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 2-2,0-0 CCIW
76
Winner Hope Hope 6-1,1-0 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
2-2,0-0 CCIW
73
Final
76
Hope Hope
6-1,1-0 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 F
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 17 19 10 21 6 73
Hope Hope 9 25 17 16 9 76

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women’s Hoops Drops Heartbreaker at No. 23 Hope

Titans fall to 2-2

HOLLAND, Mich. - A fourth-quarter lead slipped away as the 10th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team dropped a non-conference game at No. 23 Hope College Saturday, Nov. 22. The Titans (2-2) led by as many as 12 in the contest, but came up short against the Flying Dutch (6-1), 76-73. Senior Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) and freshman Asia Kobylarczyk (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) were named to the all-tournament team. 

The two teams went back and forth before Hope took a fourth-quarter lead on a three-pointer with 4:57 on the clock. The triple put the home team up seven, 63-56, but Illinois Wesleyan, which led by as many as 12, responded with a run to retake control.

Senior Sara Balli (Bloomingdale, Ill.-Lake Park) converted one-of-two at the line and freshman Caitlin Leyden (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) hit a putback to kick off the run. Moments later, Leyden pulled in another offensive board and found senior Ava Bardic (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson) for a triple to pull the Titans within one, 63-62, at the 3:18 mark of the fourth quarter.

Kobylarczyk led the Titans in scoring with 17 points to go along with eight rebounds, three steals, and a block. Fellow rookie, Leyden, posted a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double. She added three assists and a pair of steals over a team-high 44 minutes. White stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, seven boards, four helpers, four steals, and a block. Bardic finished with 14 points.

The Titans shot 40.9 percent from the field for the game, but a quiet third quarter allowed the Flying Dutch an opening. IWU went 27-of-66 from the field, 9-of-27 from three-point distance, and 10-for-15 at the charity stripe. The Green and White defense held Hope to 36.6 shooting (26-for-71) overall, while the Flying Dutch buried 8-of-23 threes. HC took advantage of its trips to the line, making 16-of-21 free throws.

Illinois Wesleyan's defense had Hope bottled up as the Flying Dutch were limited to one free throw over the first three and a half minutes. Meanwhile, Bardic and White hit buckets while Kobylarczyk knocked down a free throw to give IWU a 6-1 edge as the clock ticked towards the six-minute mark.

Turnovers spoiled the early momentum for the Green and White as the visitors turned the ball over six times in the first five minutes. The Flying Dutch were held to 1-of-10 shooting over four minutes while the Titans got key transition layups from Bardic and Kobylarczyk to force a Hope timeout with 4:11 to go in the period.

Freshman Rena Robinson (San Jose, Calif.-Archbishop Mitty) found White for a three-pointer to stretch the lead to double digits, 13-3. Leyden later pulled in an offensive rebound and went right back up to force another timeout by the home team as IWU led 15-3 with 1:52 on the clock.

A 25-7 run by the Flying Dutch that spanned the first and second quarters swung things in favor of the home team, 28-22, midway through the second period.

A stepback three-pointer from the top of the key by White pushed Illinois Wesleyan in front, 36-34, at halftime.

A slow offensive output by the Titans in the third quarter saw the Flying Dutch go ahead by five, 51-46, into the final period. 

IWU is back in action next weekend, Nov. 29-30, as host of the Midwest Challenge. The Green and White will meet University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Saturday, Nov. 29, at 4 p.m.


 
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