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

Box Score

Feb. 11, 2012-- Sophie Newson tallied her first double-double of the season but the North Central College women's basketball team fell victim to an early scoring binge by Wheaton College, stumbling 72-54 in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game on Saturday inside Gregory Arena.

A pair of three-pointers from Sophie Newson and Jenny Swanson gave the homestanding Cardinals (6-17, 0-12 CCIW) an early 8-5 advantage with 17:27 remaining in the opening half. The lead proved fleeting as the Thunder (16-7, 9-3 CCIW) tallied the next 20 points over a seven minute stretch, eventually taking a 38-24 lead into the halftime break, shooting a blistering 57.1 percent (eight-for-14) from beyond the arc.

North Central sliced the deficit to just eight points off a Callie Rezin three-pointer with 17:26 remaining in the second half but the Thunder mounted a 10-2 run to bump their advantage up to 16 points. Wheaton would maintain at least a 14-point cushion the rest of the way.

Newson ended the game with a team-high 16 points and 11 rebounds while Maryssa Cladis came off the bench and added 11 points.

Breanna Bohlen came off the bench and hit four threes for the Thunder, ending the night with 18 points while Lauren Graham added 12.

The Cardinals return to the court on Wednesday, hitting the road to face North Park University at 7:30 p.m.