Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Feb. 17, 2024) - Facing their third ranked opponent in a row, the North Central College women's basketball team fell to the hands to Illinois Wesleyan University Titans on Saturday afternoon inside the Shirk Center, 94-77.

Jocelyn Trotter scored the game's first points with a successful trip to the free throw line. She followed that up with a layup and three pointer before Elle Sutter added a pair of free throws to put the Cardinals ahead by six, 9-3. The Titans stormed back to even the score at 15. Over the final 1:47 of the first quarter, Illinois Wesleyan scored seven points in a row to take a 24-17 lead.

Grace Keiffer put a stop to the Titan run with back-to-back jumpers to spark a 7-0 run from North Central. Illinois Wesleyan answered by opening up a 16 point lead midway through the quarter. Kieffer scored the final basket of the first half as the Titans held onto a 49-35 advantage.

The teams traded baskets early in the third quarter as Megan McClure scored a second chance field goal with 6:46 to play in the period. An 8-2 rally from the Titans extended their lead to 23. Biz Daly added four quick points to end the quarter for the Cardinals.
Daly scored eight points in the fourth quarter as the teams scored a combined 87 points in the second half. Illinois Wesleyan picked up a 94-77 win to clinch the CCIW Regular Season Title. 

Daly led the Cardinals with 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Trotter, who scored 11 points in the first quarter, finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Sutter also tallied a double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and two steals. Lauren Huber led all scorers with 24 points and 11 rebounds.

The Cardinals (12-13, 7-9 CCIW) have earned the right to host a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament game by finishing as the No. 4 seed in the league. The Cardinals will host Augustana College on Tuesday (Feb. 20) night with a 5:00 p.m. tip inside Gregory Arena.

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