FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Box Score

Jan. 30, 2010 - The North Central College women's basketball team found itself on the short end of a second hard-fought game against Wheaton College on Saturday, leading early before succumbing to the Thunder, 64-55, at Gregory Arena.

A jump shot by Brittany James and a three-pointer from Terra Musgrove spotted the Cardinals an early 5-0 lead. After Wheaton tied the score, the hosts put up the game's next seven points, capped off by Jackie Errico's three-pointer with 13:21 on the clock.

The Thunder sank a pair of triples to whittle its deficit to 12-11, but a free throw by Errico and a layup by Jenny Swanson rebuilt North Central's lead once again. Wheaton scored the next eight points to take their first lead of the contest at 19-15, and the visitors stayed in front until Errico hit once again from beyond the arc to knot the score at 23-23 with 2:12 left.

Christine Karl and Latrice Newson each made good on trips to the free-throw line and the Cardinals held Wheaton scoreless until 26 seconds remained in the period, when Lindsey Brenneman's jumper sent the game into halftime with North Central on top, 27-25.

North Central led by as many as six points in the early going of the second half, though the Thunder scored twice in a 32-second stretch to narrow the gap to two. With her team leading, 35-33, and the shot clock running down, Newson banked in a three-pointer. After a defensive stop, the Cardinals got another three from Errico to move ahead, 41-33, and prompt a Wheaton timeout with 12:06 remaining.

Midway through the second half, the Thunder (10-8, 4-4 CCIW) switched to a full-court press and were able to disrupt North Central's rhythm, taking the lead at 50-49 and extending it to 58-51 with 3:55 left. Kaelyn Witkowski scored in the paint and fed Karl for a three-pointer on consecutive trips down the floor to narrow the gap to 58-55 with 2:52 left, but the Cardinals were halted by an ill-timed scoring drought that lasted until the final buzzer sounded.

Errico led the Cardinals (4-15, 1-7 CCIW) with 17 points and a career-best 15 rebounds, while Newson finished with 15 points and Karl added 10 points to go with five assists.

Brenneman paced the Thunder with 17 points, Elisabeth Potts scored 16 and Brooke Olson totaled 11.

North Central travels to Illinois Wesleyan University (18-1, 7-1 CCIW) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.