BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The No. 17 Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team returns to the hardwood Saturday, Jan. 10, as host to North Park University inside the Shirk Center. The game is slated for a 2 p.m. tipoff and will serve as the first part of a twin bill with the IWU men's basketball team and will serve as the program's annual Green Dot game.
    The Titans stand at 4-0 in the College of Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin with an overall mark of 9-4. IWU began the New Year with an 85-52 win over nationally-ranked Carroll University, Jan. 3, in a meeting between the league's frontrunners. The game marked the end of a four-game stretch against top-25 competition. North Park travels to Bloomington with a 4-9 record and is in search of its first conference win of the season at 0-4. Currently on a six-game roadtrip, the Vikings are coming off a 78-50 loss at Carthage College, Jan. 7.
    Matt Sosler and Brittany Carper will have the call on the live stream, while live stats will also be provided. Links can be found on the women's basketball schedule page of IWUsports.com.

PREGAME SWIPER CEREMONY: Prior to Saturday's game with North Park, Illinois Wesleyan will recognize senior guard Sawyer White. With a steal against Wisconsin Lutheran, the senior point guard broke the program's all-time steals record with 297 previously held by Rebekah Ehresman.

APPLE DIDN'T FALL FAR FROM THE CRABTREE: At halftime, Illinois Wesleyan athletics will recognize Adriana Crabtree for her outstanding cross country season this past fall. Crabtree ran to a 17th-place finish in the 290-person field, marking the highest finish in program history. Crabtree's performance earned her First Team All-American honors.
    Overall, Crabtree is the fourth Titan cross country runner, the third on the women's side, to secure All-America status in program history.

HOT SAUCE!: Sawyer White put together an electric performance in Illinois Wesleyan's lopsided win over Carroll, Jan. 3. The senior point guard erupted for a career-high 37 points to go along with eight steals, four assists, three rebounds, and a block. She hit 13-of-19 shots overall, including a sensational 8-for-11 showing from distance.
    White's 37-piece is the most points by a Titan since Kendall Sosa dropped a program record 47 against Millikin during the 2020-21 season, while her eight triples are the most since Mallory Heydorn versus Augustana during the 2008-09 season.
    For her effort, as well as her performances in Florida, White was named the CCIW Player of the Week for the second time in her career. Additionally, she reeled in a spot on the D3hoops.com Team of the Week for the first time in her career.

NOBODY HAS WON MORE: In her 28-year career at the helm of Illinois Wesleyan women's hoops, Mia Smith has won more CCIW games than any women's basketball coach in league history. Smith notched the 296th CCIW win of her career with Illinois Wesleyan's 85-52 win over Carroll, Jan. 3, taking sole possession of the top spot in conference history.
    With 296 wins to 95 losses in conference contests, Smith surpasses  Millikin's Lori Kerans (295) for the title of all-time winningest coach in CCIW history with Illinois Wesleyan's 85-52 win over No. 14 Carroll, Jan. 3.
    Overall, Kerans holds the all-time record for wins with 556 in her 32-year career, as Smith lurks close behind with 534.

TALE OF THE TAPE: Illinois Wesleyan and North Park will square off for the 83rd time since the series began Saturday inside the Shirk Center. The Titans hold a commanding 66-16 advantage in the all-time series and have won 41 of the past 44 meetings with the Vikings dating back to the 2004-05 season.
    Last season, Illinois Wesleyan swept two meetings. IWU topped NPU, 88-57, in the Windy City, Dec. 4, before rolling to a 99-42 win in the Shirk Center, Feb. 11. A total of 14 Titans scored in the most recent meeting, with Ava Bardic leading the way with a game-high 17 points.

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 277 of 363 of its home games, good for a .762 win percentage.

THE 55TH YEAR OF IWU WOMEN'S HOOPS: Illinois Wesleyan is in its 55th year of women's basketball and has compiled a 767-512 overall record. IWU's .599 all-time win percentage includes a 367-204 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin mark.

SHE TOOK IT: Senior Sawyer White snatched her 297th career steal six minutes into Illinois Wesleyan's game against Wisconsin Lutheran, Dec. 29, breaking the program's all-time steals record. White overtook the top spot on the all-time list as she surpassed Rebekah Ehresman, who accrued 296 during her outstanding career as a Titan from 2014-2018. This season, White has amassed 43 thefts, good for 18th-most in Division III this season as of Jan. 8.
    In the CCIW, White sits 99 steals behind Millikin's Jennifer Falbe, who had 404 takeaways in her career as a Big Blue from 1996-2000. In White's sophomore season, she set a single season steals record with 112, which ranks second all-time in a single season in league history.
    Moreover, White's 305 career thefts ranked eighth-most among active women's basketball players across Division I, II, and III. She has the second-most steals to her name of any current NCAA Division III student-athlete, trailing only Hunter's Alexa Charles.

POLLING PLACE: Illinois Wesleyan remains in the national polls midway through the season. The Titans are 17th in the D3hoops.com Top-25 and No. 20 in the WBCA poll.
    IWU is one of two College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin teams featured in both polls, as  Carroll is 21st in the D3hoops rankings and tied 24th in the WBCA poll.

NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED LATELY: The Titans used a big second half to roll past Carroll, Jan. 3, besting the Pios, 85-52, inside the Shirk Center. The 33-point margin of victory is the largest in the series since Jan. 20, 2018 when IWU won 89-46 (+43) in Waukesha, Wis.
    Since CU rejoined the CCIW in 2017, eight games have been decided by 10-or-fewer points. Five have been within 20 points and seven have been a margin more than 20 points, with many of the lopsided outcomes coming early in Carroll's return to the league.

ON THE HORIZON: The Green and White host Millikin University Wednesday, Jan. 14, for a 7 p.m. tipoff. The Titans will recognize the women's golf team at halftime following their CCIW Championship performance this past fall.