Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

CHICAGO, Ill. (Feb. 20, 2016) – Clinching a spot in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament with a win, the North Central College women's basketball team overcame an improbable 11-point fourth quarter deficit, taking down North Park University, 105-100 to clinch the third seed in the tournament field.
 
North Central (14-11, 8-6 CCIW) trailed 84-73 with just 6:51 to play in the contest, but managed to get North Park (16-9, 7-7 CCIW) in foul trouble late.  With all five Viking starters with four fouls, the Cardinals got aggressive and began attacking the basket, as point guard Mayson Whipple scored 16 of her team-leading 27 points in the fourth quarter. 
 
A 13-4 Cardinal run over a two-minute span quickly shrunk the North Park lead 88-86 with 4:44 remaining, as Whipple highlighted the run with two lay ups and a three-pointer, while assisting on another long ball from Miranda Grizaffi.
 
A combination of the Cardinals aggressive play late and a worn out North Park squad proved to be too much for the Viking defense to handle, as four of the five starters fouled out with just under four minute to play. 
 
With arguably their best four players fouled out, the Vikings had no answer for the Cardinal offense late, as a Michaela Reedy three-pointer gave North Central its first lead since the 9:07 mark of the second quarter, now holding a 91-90 advantage with 3:35 to play.
 
The two teams traded leads over the next two and a half minutes, until a Therese Pettersson three-point play gave the Cardinals a 102-100 lead with just 43 seconds remaining.  North Central knocked down three of four free throws down the stretch to seal the 105-100 victory.
 
North Central trailed for over 30 minutes of play, while only holding the lead for 5 and a half minutes.  Whipple's career-high 27 points led the Cardinal offense, while her nine rebounds also led the team. 
 
Lauren Hernandez added 20 points of the bench, including a perfect 10-for-10 showing from the free throw line, tying for second on the program's single-game list.  Pettersson also finished in double-figures, adding 17 points and three steals.  Grizaffi's two made three-pointers tie the single season record of 64 set in 2000-01 by Tracy Farrell '01.
 
North Park's Soly Roman led all players with 27 points and 13 rebounds, while the Cardinals held the CCIW's leading scorer Liz Rehberger to just 10 points after the junior guard went off for 42 points in the team's first meeting this season.
 
Wheaton College and Illinois Wesleyan University tied for the regular season CCIW Championship, but Wheaton will host next weekend's tournament after defeating the Titans twice during the regular season.  North Central will face Illinois Wesleyan on Friday, Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. inside King Arena.  Link to live coverage are available HERE.