BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The fourth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team will finish out the home portion of its regular season schedule this Saturday, Feb. 15, against Millikin University. Tipoff of the Senior Day contest is scheduled for a 2 p.m. tipoff and will see Tropical Smoothie Cafe serving five dollar smoothies throughout the day, while also sponsoring a "free smoothie for a year" giveaway at halftime.
    The Titans head into Saturday with a 21-1 overall record and a 12-1 standing in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin competition. IWU most recently clobbered North Park University, 99-42, inside the Shirk Center, Feb. 11. Millikin travels up US-51 this weekend with eyes on continuing its much-improved second half of the season. The Big Blue sit at 8-14 overall, 7-6 in league play, and have won three of their past five. MU most recently fell at Elmhurst University, 80-60, Feb. 11.
    Matt Sosler will bring you the call on the live stream as well as on the radio, while live stats will also be provided. Links can be found on the women's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.
SENIOR SEND OFF: The Titans will celebrate seniors Lauren Huber, Caite Knutson, Mallory Powers, and Kate Palmer prior to tipoff Saturday afternoon along with senior managers Madison Reaber and Liam Bivona.
    Over the past four years, the Green and White have amassed an 80-27 overall record and a 50-11 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin mark. IWU has won two CCIW Regular Season titles as well as one CCIW Tournament Championship. The Titans have made two NCAA Tournament appearances, advancing to the second round in 2022 and 2024.
OPPORTUNITY AHEAD: Saturday's game will see the Titans play to claim the CCIW Regular Season Championship as well as the No. 1 seed in the league's tournament. Illinois Wesleyan sits two games ahead of Carroll at 12-1 in league play, while the Pios are second at 10-3.
    Like the Green and White, the Big Blue is jockeying for conference tournament seeding. Millikin is currently fourth at 7-6 in CCIW play, with Wheaton (6-6) right on its heels.
THE WIDEST OF MARGINS: Illinois Wesleyan dismantled North Park, 99-42, Tuesday night, Feb. 11, as the Titans defeated the Vikings by 57 points. The margin marked the largest of the season for IWU, as well as the most lopsided win since downing Augustana, 109-52 (+57) Jan. 21, 2009. Additionally, it is the seventh 50+ point win for the Titans since the start of the 2008-09 season.
EVERYONE GETS A BUCKET: The Titans saw all 14 players that were dressed score in IWU's rout of North Park, Feb. 11. It is the fifth time this season that 10-or-more Titans have notched points, while it also resulted in a 46-21 lead in bench scoring for the Green and White. The other instances came against Wheaton (Jan. 25), Augie (Jan. 8), Elmhurst (Dec. 14), and at North Park (Dec. 4).
NO SOUP FOR YOU!: Illinois Wesleyan has held opponents below 50 points 50 times since the start of the 2008-09 campaign. The most recent occasion came against North Park, Feb. 11, as the Titans rolled to a 99-42 victory.
MATCHIN' UP WITH MILLIKIN: Saturday's matchup will mark the 107th 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 59-48 edge in the all-time series. However, IWU is 37-24 against MU under the direction of Mia Smith.
    The Big Blue had won five in-a-row against the Titans, before Illinois Wesleyan downed MU, 81-60 in Decatur, Ill. back on Jan. 22. Mallory Powers put up a career-high 21 points along with 10 rebounds, six assists, and three steals in the win. Lauren Huber added 19 points, eight boards, and four assists, while Kate Palmer tacked on a dozen points.
WIN STREAK SNAPPED: The Titans saw their season-opening 20-win streak halted at Carthage, Feb. 8, with an 87-81 setback. IWU's 20-0 start was the best for the program since 2008-09, and marks the second-longest winning streak in program history. The Green and White's 20 straight victories are the most since the Titans won 18 in-a-row during the 2009-10 campaign
HOME COOKING: One of the greatest venues in NCAA Division III, the Shirk Center has been home to more than 750 Titan basketball games between the men and women. In its 30-year history, the women have won 268 of 352 of its home games, good for a .761 win percentage.
    This season, IWU is 9-0 inside the friendly confines of the Shirk Center. The Titans posted an 8-3 record on their home floor during the 2023-24 campaign.
RISING THE RANKS: Continuing to climb the IWU career record lists, Lauren Huber has established herself as one of the all-time greats in program history. Huber currently sits second on the all-time scoring list, 19 points ahead Molly McGraw's third-ranked total (1577), with 1596 career points, and 36 points behind record holder Traci Butler (1632).
    Additionally, with seven rebounds against Carroll, Feb. 5, Huber became the third player in program history to secure 800-or-more rebounds. With 820 career boards, Huber is behind program record holder Elaine Hill (901) and Christina Solari (884).
Huber became the 25th player in program history to dish out 200+ assists, Feb. 11.
    Furthermore, she is the only player in program history with 1500+ points and 800+ rebounds during their IWU career. She is one of three players in program history to post 1200+ points, 600+ rebounds, and 200+ assists joining Kristen Schroff (1415p-726r-328a) and Rebekah Ehresman (1236p-604r-376a).
COMMA CLUB CLIMBER: Senior Kate Palmer hit a free throw in overtime against Trinity (Texas) to push her career point total to 1000 through 98 career games. Palmer is just the 26th member of the exclusive club. The Geneva, Ill. native currently ranks 18th on the program's all-time scoring list (1111 points), trailing Gwynne Roberts 17th-ranked point total of 1163.
    Senior Mallory Powers is approaching 1000-point membership, sitting 70 points out of the club. The Amboy, Ill. native is 30th on the program's all-time scoring list with 930 career points.
BARDIC FOR 1000: With a free throw in the waning seconds of Illinois Wesleyan's, 81-75, win over Carroll, Feb. 5, junior Ava Bardic surpassed 1000 career points. Bardic, who transferred to IWU as a sophomore ahead of last season, scored 312 points as a freshman at Division II University of Illinois-Springfield. The Lincolnshire, Ill. native has scored 717 points during her Titan career as of Feb. 13 and is averaging 13.2 points per game at IWU.
POLLING PLACE: Illinois Wesleyan held steady inside the top-five in both the D3hoops.com and WBCA Top-25 polls as of Feb. 11. IWU ranks fourth in the D3hoops.com and fifth in the WBCA polls announced Feb. 10-11.
SHE'LL TAKE THAT X200: The Green and White's high-motor pressure, especially in its run-and-jump, has caused opponents fits this season. Leading the effort for the Titans has been junior Sawyer White, who has become equally well-known for her thieving abilities on the court as she is for a good celebration griddy on the bench. With four steals in Illinois Wesleyan's win over No. 18 Chicago, White hit 200 steals for her career, becoming just the fifth Titan in program history to do so. Her career total currently stands at 236 as of Feb. 12 and ranks second-most all-time. Rebekah Ehresman holds the record with 296 accrued during her career from 2014 to 2018, while Sydney Shanks is third with 233. Hope Schulte (223) and Christina Solari (216) are the only other two Titans to surpass 200 steals in their careers.
    The Downers Grove, Ill. native, who set the program's single-season steals record a season ago, is 25th across Division III with 3.18 thefts per game, while her 70 steals are 22nd-most.
FEAR THE SECOND TEN LIVES ON: Illinois Wesleyan has commonly used the second quarter to distance itself from opponents. Through 22 games this year, IWU has outscored opponents 412-328, a difference of 84 points. The Titans have lost the quarter just twice over 22 games - 26-12, at Carroll, Dec. 7 and 24-9, at Trinity (Texas), Dec. 27. IWU and Carthage went point-for-point, Feb. 8, with the quarter finishing even, 15-15.
THE 54TH YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan, in its 54th year of women's basketball, has compiled a 751-507 overall record. IWU's .595 all-time win percentage includes a 359-204 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin mark.
EXPERIENCE PAYING DIVIDENDS: Through 22 games, Illinois Wesleyan has shown immense poise by way of ball security. The Titans have dished out 346 assists to 317 turnovers, good for a 1.09 assist-to-turnover ratio. IWU's mark is ranked 29th nationally, while its 14.4 turnovers per game are slotted 56th-best and its 15.8 assists per game are 53rd across Division III.
DEAN OF THE CCIW: Veteran head coach Mia Smith earned her 500th career win as Illinois Wesleyan rolled past Edgewood, 88-57, in its home opener Saturday, Nov. 23. Smith, who has accrued all of her wins at the helm of the Titans, is just the second coach in CCIW history to win at least 500 games. She carries a career record of 518-208. The current conference leader in wins among active head coaches, Smith's career win total ranks second in league laurels. Additionally, her win total is 21st-most across all of active Division III head coaches.
  Under the tutelage of Smith, IWU has won 10 CCIW Championships and made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Titans won the 2012 NCAA Division III Championship following a fourth-place finish in 2011.
ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan will take to the road for the final week of the regular season, beginning Wednesday night, Feb. 19, with a clash at North Central College. Tipoff of the penultimate regular season game is set for 7 p.m. inside Gregory Arena.
