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Kate Palmer & Caite Knutson celebrating
© AshtinElder
50
Trine Trine 25-4,16-0 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
82
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 28-1,15-1 CCIW
Trine Trine
25-4,16-0 Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
50
Final
82
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
28-1,15-1 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Trine Trine 21 7 14 8 50
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 18 19 27 18 82

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women’s Hoops Punches Ticket to Sweet Sixteen with Top-15 Win

Titans to host sectional, March 14-15, inside the Shirk Center

Press Conference

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The fourth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team is heading to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament for the first time since 2012 following an 82-50 win over No. 13 Trine University Saturday, March 8, in the Round of 32. The Titans (28-1) will host next weekend's sectional round inside the Shirk Center, March 14-15, while the Thunder's season comes to a close at 25-4.

Illinois Wesleyan was led in scoring by junior Ava Bardic (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson), who put up 26 points with five made three-pointers. Senior Caite Knutson (Maryville, Ill.-Collinsville) added 15 points with seven rebounds. IWU's top rebounder of the day was senior Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy), as she finished with eight boards and 14 points. Rounding out IWU's double-digit scorers was junior Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic). White tallied 11 points, three rebounds, and six steals. 

The Titans put together another efficient shooting performance, connecting on 30-of-59 shots, and made 10-of-28 three-pointers. IWU finished a perfect 12-for-12 at the line. Trine finished 18-for-54 from the field (33.3 percent) and was stymied to 4-for-19 shooting from beyond the arc. The Thunder went 10-for-11 at the charity stripe.

Illinois Wesleyan forced Trine into 27 turnovers, leading to a 35-10 advantage in points off miscues. IWU also held leads in points in the paint (34-28), fastbreak scoring (12-0), and bench scoring (17-7). TU notched a 9-4 edge in second chance points, despite Illinois Wesleyan winning the rebounding battle, 33-31.

A late shot clock bucket gave Trine an early advantage, but Illinois Wesleyan rattled off seven straight points to charge ahead. Bardic knocked down a three and Powers followed with a pullup from the elbow to push IWU ahead, 5-2.

After Bardic drew a charge on the defensive end, the junior converted a jumper to stretch the lead to five.

Trine scored the next six points to take an 8-7 lead, but the advantage for the Thunder did not last long. Feeding off the energy of a Bardic block, Powers connected on a three-ball to put the Green and White back in front, 10-8.

Illinois Wesleyan charged ahead by eight behind buckets by Powers, Bardic, and Knutson, but Trine closed the first quarter on an 11-0 run as the Thunder took a 21-18 lead into the second period.

The Green and White wasted little time taking control in the second quarter, as Bardic opened the scoring in the second-10 with a triple. Knutson caught fire with a reverse and a putback to lift IWU ahead, 25-23.

Free throws by senior Kate Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) gave Illinois Wesleyan a 29-23 advantage into a media timeout. Out of the break, IWU's defense forced a shot clock violation, bringing the Shirk Center crowd to their feet.

Palmer stretched the lead to double digits with a shifty scoop in the paint to force a Trine timeout with 3:08 to play in the half and IWU leading, 33-23.

Leading by 11 out of halftime, the Titans put up 27 points in the third quarter behind stout three-point shooting. IWU went 4-for-9 from distance over the 10-minute period with Bardic and Powers leading the way. Three triples from Bardic and one from Powers along with a bucket by Knutson put the Titans in control, 53-36, with 6:51 on the clock.

The Thunder called a timeout, but it could not slow the Green and White as the home team led by as many as 34 in the fourth quarter en route to the win.

Illinois Wesleyan will play No. 11 University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in game two of next weekend's sectional inside the Shirk Center. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 14, with No. 7 Baldwin Wallace University and No. 16 Ohio Wesleyan University playing in the 5 p.m. contest.

 
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