Contact: Louis Groce, Graduate Assistant to the Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Box Score

Decatur, Ill. (Feb. 19, 2013) – With the North Central College women's basketball team trailing 63-62 and just over four minutes remaining in the second half, the Cardinals used a 10-0 run to distance itself from Millikin University and earn its first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Tournament berth since the 2008-09 season.

The Cardinals (13-12, 6-8) entered Tuesday night in a three-way tie for fourth place in the CCIW.  Its victory, coupled with the losses by North Park University and Elmhurst College, resulted in the Cardinals sitting alone in the crucial fourth place. 

In a tight contest that featured 13 ties, the Big Blue (8-16, 3-11) held a one point lead, 63-62, with 4:34 left.  Bobbi Johns started the Cardinal run by knocking in four straight free throws, and gave North Central a 66-63 lead they wouldn't relinquish.  Michelle Todd banged in a three-pointer, and Callie Rezin followed with a three-point play the old fashioned way to make the score 72-63. 

Brittany Czaplicki's layup cut the Cardinal advantage to 72-65, but it was the only points the hosts scored over the final 2:30.  With time ticking away, the Big Blue resorted to fouling, but North Central was perfect from the charity stripe down the stretch.  Johns canned four more freebies and Sophie Newson knocked down two more to clinch the victory, 78-65. 

Johns not only came through with some clutch free throws in crunch time, but tied for the team-high in scoring with 14.  Larynn Shumaker also scored 14 for the visitors.  Rezin also reached double digits with 12, while Newson scored nine and added a game-high 12 boards. 

The Big Blue was led by Czaplicki's 20 points and seven rebounds. 

In the victory, the Cardinals set an NCAA Division III single season record for most three-point attempts (1,083), surpassing Thomas College who previously set the bar at 1,081 attempts in 2006.   

North Central will take on Carthage College, the CCIW regular season champs, on Friday in the first round of the CCIW Tournament in Kenosha, Wis. at 7:00 p.m.