Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Jan. 11, 2025) - Pushing the No. 2 team in the nation to the brink, the North Central College women's basketball team dropped a tight 80-75 contest to the conference leading Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon inside the Shirk Center.
Josylin Simmons-Doxie scored the game's first points on a layup. Grace Kieffer knocked down a three-pointer before Jocelyn Trotter gave the Cardinals a 7-2 advantage early in the first quarter. Biz Daly's layup regave North Central the lead after a Titan run, 9-8. Successful trips to the free throw line from Simmons-Doxie and Keiffer kept the Cardinals close as the Titans held a slight 20-19 edge after 10 minutes.
Daly and Simmons-Doxie hit key shots early in the second quarter before four straight points from Trotter brought North Central within one, 28-27. Free throws from Daly and Trotter halted a Titan run as the hosts took a 36-29 lead into halftime.
Baskets from Trotter and Daly cut the Cardinal deficit to three, but again Illinois Wesleyan responded by extending their lead to double figures, 48-37. A deep ball from Ameli Sanchez kept North Central within striking distance before Kennedy Hartwig made a jumper late in the third quarter. The Titans held a 61-49 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
A fastbreak layup from Hartwig brought North Central back within single digits, 57-66. The teams traded field goals until a layup from Kieffer sparked a 6-0 run for the Cardinals to come back within four, 68-64. With 1:44 to play, Simmons-Doxie found Daly in the paint to put North Central within a possession, 72-69 before the Titans knocked down a three-pointer. A three from Hartwig with 31-seconds left made the score 75-73. Illinois Wesleyan hit their free throws down the stretch to hold on to an 80-75 victory.
Daly (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Trotter (16 points, 10 rebounds) each finished with double-doubles while Hartwig tallied a season-high 12 points on the night. The Cardinals shot 44% from the field and 24% from behind the arc. Lauren Huber led all scorers with 23 points to pace the Titans.
North Central returns home to Gregory Arena Wednesday to host Wheaton College. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
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