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Sara Balli bucket
Donny Cortez
38
Wheaton (IL) WHEIL 10-14,6-9 CCIW
71
Winner Ill. Wesleyan IWU 19-5,14-1 CCIW
Wheaton (IL) WHEIL
10-14,6-9 CCIW
38
Final
71
Ill. Wesleyan IWU
19-5,14-1 CCIW
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Wheaton (IL) WHEIL 11 11 10 6 38
Ill. Wesleyan IWU 17 18 20 16 71

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women’s Hoops Wears Down Wheaton

Titans improve to 14-1 in CCIW play, tied atop the standings

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Stout defense propelled the 15th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team to a 71-38 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin win over Wheaton College Wednesday night, Feb. 18, inside the Shirk Center. The win boosted IWU to 19-5 on the season and 14-1 in league play as the Titans are tied atop the conference standings with one game to go. Wheaton slipped to 10-14 (6-9 CCIW).

A total of 11 Titans notched points in the win, with senior Ava Bardic (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson) leading the way with 16 points. Freshman Caitlin Leyden (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) and senior Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) scored 10 apiece, while senior Sara Balli (Lake Park, Ill.-Bloomingdale) and freshman Asia Kobylarczyk (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) chipped in nine points each. Redshirt freshman Leah Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) hauled in a team-high nine rebounds alongside eight points.

The Titans rallied behind the play of its defense, as IWU forced 27 turnovers. The Green and White cashed in for 25 points off miscues, while also holding the Thunder to a 16-of-60 shooting (26.7 percent). Wheaton made just 4-of-27 three-point tries and hit 2-of-4 free throws. 

Illinois Wesleyan knocked down 28-of-67 shots from the floor, compiling a 41.8 clip, to overcome a 4-of-19 showing from distance. The Titans knocked down 11-of-15 free throw opportunities. IWU was dominant in the paint to the tune of a 42-18 advantage. The Green and White also led in second-chance scoring (8-6), fastbreak scoring (11-1), and rebounds (48-36). Wheaton earned the edge in bench points, 20-17. 

A free throw and tough take by Bardic pushed the Titans ahead, 13-7, in the first quarter. White polished off the period with a strong driving layup to lift the home team to a 17-11 advantage. 

Buckets by Kobylarczyk, Bardic, Leyden, and Palmer stretched the lead to double-digits as IWU used an eight-point spurt to move in front, 33-22. Balli tacked on free throws with less than a minute to go in the half. 

Leading 35-22 out of the break, Illinois Wesleyan's run-and-jump press wreaked havoc on Wheaton. The Green and White outscored the Thunder 36-16 over the final 20 minutes to run away with the victory. The second-half featured buckets by seniors Payton Jacob (St. Joseph, Ill.-St. Joseph-Ogden) and Martha Lipic (Oak Park, Ill.-Oak Park River Forest), an and-one by freshman Ashley Mahlum (Barrington, Ill.-Barrington), and a free throw by freshman Rena Robinson (San Jose, Calif.-Archbishop Mitty) among others. 

Illinois Wesleyan closes out the regular season as host to Augustana College Saturday, Feb. 21. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside the Shirk Center.

 
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