FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

DECATUR, Ill. (Jan. 21, 2012)-- The North Central College women's basketball team was deadlocked at the half against College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin foe Millikin University on Saturday evening before the host Big Blue surged ahead in the opening moments of the second half, putting the Cardinals on the wrong side of a 70-60 affair inside the Griswold Center.

The Cardinals (6-11, 0-6 CCIW) roared out to an early 4-2 advantage and held a 15-11 lead with 11:16 remaining in the opening half after Lauren Hernandez canned a shot from beyond the arc. The host Big Blue (11-6, 3-3 CCIW) tallied 13 of the next 15 points, building a seven-point spread with 8:43 left before the half. North Central closed to within four before Millikin's Julia Roberts sunk a three with 3:18 remaining, giving the hosts a 35-28 advantage.

The Cardinals beared down on defense the final three minutes of play, holding the Big Blue scoreless while mounting a 7-0 run, tying the score at 35 at the halftime break. Emily Murphy started the rally, sinking a jumper with 2:43 remaining before Bobbi Johns drained a three to pull within two. Helen Muleya completed the rally, converting a pair of free throws with 14 seconds remaining as the two squads went into the locker room tied at 35.

The Big Blue came out of the break red-hot, scoring the first 10 points of the second half, part of an 18-4 run to take a game-high 14-point lead with 10:19 remaining. The Cardinals closed the gap to just seven on two separate occasions, first on a Hernandez three with 5:59 remaining and again off an Emily Collins layup with 1:21 remaining but could not come any closer in the 10-point defeat.

Muleya guided the visiting Cardinals, pouring on 11 points and six rebounds while Jenny Swanson came off the bench and added 10 points.

Crystal Zeigler and Heather Pruemer paced the Big Blue, both tallying 19 points while Cecily Aldridge chipped in 12 points.

The Cardinals blazed the nets from beyond the arc in the first half of play, hitting at a 70 percent clip (seven-for-10) before just making just two-of-10 (20 percent) in the second 20 minutes of action.

North Central returns to the hardwood on Wednesday, hosting North Park University with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m.