FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Box Score

WHEATON, Ill. (Feb. 7, 2009) -- North Central College took an early lead and withstood a late Wheaton College rally, holding on for the 71-64 win to split the season series in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin women's basketball game at King Arena.

Brianne Parra (Sr., Justice, Ill./Argo) scored the game's first bucket after almost two minutes of scoreless action before the Thunder would score 10 of the next 11 points, taking a 10-3 lead with 14:56 to play. North Central countered with a run of its own, scoring 12 unanswered to take a 15-10 lead, holding Wheaton scoreless for almost six minutes, a span that saw the Thunder miss 12 straight shots. The Cardinals would go into the break with the 30-23 advantage after holding the Thunder to shooting just 27 percent (eight-for-30) from the floor.

With 13:43 remaining in the second half, Mallory Carlini (Jr., Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook) converted the three-point play, sinking the basket and picking up the foul, helping the Cardinals extend their lead to a game-high 12 points at 45-33. Wheaton would rally, using a 15-2 run to retake the lead for the first time since midway through the first half. An Amber Cibrario (Sr., Elk Grove, Ill./Elk Grove) three-pointer on the ensuing possession put the Cardinals back on top before the Thunder would take the lead once again at 51-50.

A Carlini free throw and buckets by Meghan McGuire (So., Elgin, Ill,/Central) and Jessica Davis (Jr., Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) helped spark the team to a 10-2 run to regain the lead. North Central would never trail the remainder of the game, despite the Thunder coming within two on two separate occasions.

McGuire led the scoring charge with 15 points as three Cardinals ended the game in double figures. Parra chipped in 14 points with 12 coming in the first half while Jackie Errico (So., Blue Island, Ill./Marian Catholic) finished with 11 points and a career-high eight assists. Errico and McGuire led the team on the glass, each grabbing six boards.

Kathleen Fidelia finished one rebound shy of a double-double for the Thunder, scoring a game-high 19 points in the losing effort. Jamie Jones scored 15 points with Whitney Edgecombe adding 14.

The Cardinal win splits the season series at one apiece, with each team winning on the other's home court. Wheaton downed North Central 93-67 in the conference opener on January 10 where the Cardinals were unable to find an answer to the tough Thunder press.

North Central limited Wheaton to shooting just 36.2 percent (25-for-69) from the floor and a dismal 9.1 percent (one-for-11) from beyond the arc, while the Cardinals hit 47.9 percent (23-for-48) from the floor, including 54.2 percent in the second half.

With the win, North Central improves to 10-9 overall and 5-4 in conference play while Wheaton falls to 12-8 overall and 7-2 in CCIW action. The Cardinals return to action on Tuesday, February 10, taking on the Bluejays of Elmhurst College at 7:30 p.m. inside Gregory Arena.