Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
DECATUR, Ill. (Feb. 14, 2024) - The North Central College women's basketball team took on a ranked opponent for the second straight game, falling to No. 14 Millikin University, 72-53 on Wednesday night inside the Griswold Center. The Big Blue used a 24-7 second quarter to pull away from the Cardinals.
Jocelyn Trotter scored the game's first points on a layup from Jovanna Martinucci. Megan McClure knocked down a three pointer before Millikin scored the next six points. The teams traded the next few baskets until Megan Duffy converted on a trip to the free throw line to knot the game at 13-13 after 10 minutes of play.
A 12-2 run from the Big Blue opened their lead early in the second quarter. Trotter stopped the run with a jumper, but again Millikin went on a run, this time 9-2 to take a 37-20 lead into halftime.
Elle Sutter scored her first points of the game to open the third quarter. Both teams went back and forth until Sutter and Trotter scored on two straight Cardinal possessions to cut into the Big Blue lead, 45-30. Sutter split a trip to the charity stripe as Millikin held a 53-38 advantage with 10 minutes left.
Back-to-back baskets from Trotter cut the Cardinal deficit to 11, 53-452 with 7:39 to play. Josilyn Simmons-Doxie and Sutter completed the 8-0 run from North Central before Millikin put the game away with a 15-2 run down the stretch. The Blue Big earned a 72-53 win and improved to 20-4 (12-3 CCIW) while the Cardinals moved to 12-12 (7-8 CCIW).
Trotter led North Central with 25 points and eight rebounds. Sutter filled the stat sheet once again with 13 points, 11 rebounds, four steals, two assists, and two blocks. North Central shot 31% from the field while the Big Blue posted a 43% mark. Elyce Knudsen scored 27 points with 10 rebounds to pace Millikin.
North Central closes out the regular season on Saturday by facing their third straight ranked opponent in No. 13 Illinois Wesleyan University. Their first matchup in Gregory Arena went to the Titans in overtime. That game is set to tipoff at 2 p.m. at the Shirk Center. Both teams have clinched a spot in the CCIW Tournament, with IWU currently tied for first place with Carroll University. North Central is tied for fourth place with Augustana College, the Cardinals holding the tiebreaker.
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