WBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

North Park appears to be missing Chantel Hairston today. I'm not sure why, but the Vikings can ill afford to be without her services against a team as good as Millikin.

[Gregory Sager]

Millikin 83
North Park 57

Jayla Johnson: 19 pts
Lauren Lee: 14 pts (3-4 trey)
Esther Miller: 12 pts, 7 rebs
Josie Summerville: 9 rebs
Lauren McKnight: 7 rebs

Jordan Hildebrand: 19 pts, 6 rebs
Bailey Coffman: 14 pts, 3 blks
Elyce Knudsen: 12 pts, 5 stls
Aubrey Staton: 10 pts, 5 stls
Miranda Fox: 3:0 a:to

The Big Blue ran away in the second half from the depleted Vikings, putting a foot on the accelerator and just simply running the Vikings ragged from one end of the floor to the other to bust open what had been a six-point game at the half. NPU somehow managed to outrebound MU by eight, but 24 turnovers (15 of them courtesy of Big Blue steals) led to a 15-4 fast-break-points advantage for the Big Blue, who took full advantage of the absence of North Park's starting point guard.

Whatever funk the Big Blue was in on Wednesday night has certainly dissipated.

[Gregory Sager]

With the NPU @ MU and WC @ IWU games being routs in favor of the home teams, it was left to Augustana and Carthage to play the one good game of the afternoon. It went back and forth, but eventually visiting Augie prevailed, 62-58, in a game that had a lot of playoff implications. Macy Beinborn had a whale of a game shooting from beyond the arc, as she went 6-9 from range -- none bigger than the trey she hit with 1:23 left that put the Rock Islanders up for good at 60-58 -- and led her team with 22 points. Hannah Simmer contributed 11 and 9 for the victors, while Lauren Hall grabbed eight rebounds. Carthage was paced by Ayanna Ester's 12, as she went 4-8 from downtown, and Marianna Morrissey put in 10, with Emma Thistle adding a fine 4:1 floor game in the losing effort.

Illinois Wesleyan buried Wheaton, 81-54, at Shirk. Catie Eck had a big day with 21 points, keyed by 5-8 shooting from range, and 5 blocks to go with it. Katelyn Heller added 16 and 8, Brooke Lansford chipped in 11 and 7, and Lauren Huber added 10 points. Caroline Sikkink led the way for Wheaton with 15 and 7, and Annika Richardson added 13 points. Ellie Cassel and Caylee Hermanson had negligible offensive games, but they contributed 9 and 7 rebounds apiece for WC, which, similar to what North Park did against Millikin, outrebounded IWU by 41-38 but got burned by turning over the ball 22 times and surrendered a 22-7 points off turnovers edge to the hosts.

[GoPerry]

Illinois Wesleyan buried Wheaton, 81-54, at Shirk. Catie Eck had a big day with 21 points, keyed by 5-8 shooting from range, and 5 blocks to go with it. Katelyn Heller added 16 and 8, Brooke Lansford chipped in 11 and 7, and Lauren Huber added 10 points. Caroline Sikkink led the way for Wheaton with 15 and 7, and Annika Richardson added 13 points. Ellie Cassel and Caylee Hermanson had negligible offensive games, but they contributed 9 and 7 rebounds apiece for WC, which, similar to what North Park did against Millikin, outrebounded IWU by 41-38 but got burned by turning over the ball 22 times and surrendered a 22-7 points off turnovers edge to the hosts.

It was not pretty.

[RogK]

I viewed parts of those three games.
I was glad to see Olivia Reed and Destiny Antoine return after being injured earlier in their respective games.
I'm pretty sure Bridget Barrett didn't get back in after her foot/ankle injury. Here's hoping her season isn't done.

[iwu70]

Great Senior Day at The Shirk.  IWU over WC in a blowout as Greg has reported well -- 81-54.  The Titans have too many weapons, too much speed up and down the court, turning WC over 22 times and having 11 steals to counteract their own 11 TOs.

For WC:
Sikkink 15 and 7
Richardson, with a bright WC future 13
Durrill 9

For IWU:
Catie Eck had a marvelous Senior Day performance, 21, 5-8 from trey, and 5 blocks.  She's soon to be the all-time leading shot-blocker in IWU history.
Heller, another strong outing, 16 and 8
Lansford 11 with 7 assists
Huber 10
Palmer 8

IWU shooting 46% to WC's 34%, strong pressure defense and excellent half-court defense as well.  The Titans found the open shooter today.  Titans now 12-2 with two tough road games ahead at NCC and Augie.  Win out and at least share the CCIW regular season championship.

All of you posters will recall that I was pretty harsh on the Titans early on, when starting the season 1-4.  I said that I doubted they would beat any of the supposedly top three conference leading teams:   MU, WC and NPU.  I'm happy to say that the Titans completely turned things around and have gone 5-1 against these three teams. . . so my warmest congrats to Coach Smith and staff for an awesome job and for all the Titans for their remarkable season so far.  You have greatly over-achieved in my book, esp. with three freshmen playing a key part in the 8-person regular rotation. 

Congrats to the seniors -- Lansford, Eck and Bowen, -- on your wonderful, dedicated and accomplished careers in the IWU program.  I wish all three all the best in future endeavors post-basketball and after graduation in May from IWU.  Wonderful student-athletes all . . . and a great credit to IWU, the IWU program and to themselves and their families.  Thank you and congratulations!

IWU'70

[lmitzel]

Carroll 69
NCC 55

No Senior Night magic this year. I feel like momentum really turned right around each side of halftime when Katie Evans banked home a three to stretch a four point game to seven just seconds before the buzzer, and Carroll pushed it to 15 a minute and a half into the third. The Cardinals made a rally in the fourth to make the final margin more respectable.

Mitrese Smith: 14 pts, 6 reb
IxChel Leeuwenburgh: 13 pts
Elle Sutter: 10 pts, 8 reb

Chloe Halverson: 16 pts, 8 reb
Kate Christian: 15 pts
Olivia Rangel: 14 pts, 6 reb

[RogK]

On the NCC webcast Saturday, it was mentioned that Allison Pearson intends to return for a 5th season in November.

[RogK]

the updated ladder :
12-2 IWU MIL
8-6 CRL
7-7 NPU WHE
6-9 AUG NCC
5-9 CTG
1-13 ELM
64 of 72 conference games are done

[Gregory Sager]

On the NCC webcast Saturday, it was mentioned that Allison Pearson intends to return for a 5th season in November.

Well, I guess that that means one more year of her dad and her grandparents sitting on the wrong side of the gym and wearing the wrong color for the NCC @ NPU game.

[RogK]

from Friday : Rockford 54 Elmhurst 53 in OT
I neglected to notice that this game was scheduled; it replaced Elmhurst's cancelled Dec 30 game at Beloit.
Anyway, EU's Taylor Harazin had her 2nd 18 rebound game in 5 days and added 15 pts.
EU also got 15 pts by Kate Matthews and 11 from Marissa Mussatto.

[RogK]

Congrats to the new CCIW Player of the Week : Macy Beinborn.

[RogK]

Question for GoPerry (and the rest o' ya) :
since Annie Tate didn't play enough, whom does Coach Madsen nominate for 1st team all-CCIW?
Wheaton could end up 9-7, 8-8 or 7-9 and may get 1 or 2 players on all-conference.
If any teams deserve three players on all-CCIW, it's IWU and Millikin.
There are probably 24 or 25 players league-wide who seem to be reasonable candidates.

[iwu70]

I was thinking the player of the week might be Catie Eck. 

Yes, All-Conference selections will be interesting.  Lansford, Huber and Palmer, perhaps, for the Titans . .. Heller had a very strong final 8-10 games. 

If I were voting, I'd clearly vote for Kaia Bowen as one of the best defensive players in the league, but I'm pretty sure she won't make All-Conference. 

'70

[iwu70]

Congrats to Ms. Beinborn, for Player of the Week.  She had a great week, for sure.

IWU'70