Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Jan. 25, 2025 - Finishing a second straight home game with a close loss in the final seconds, the North Central College women's basketball team absorbed a 69-65 setback against the Elmhurst University Bluejays Saturday at Gregory Arena.

The Cardinals (7-11, 3-6 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) rallied from a halftime deficit to pull in front before a late bout of cold shooting left them trailing most of the fourth quarter.

After entering the fourth quarter with the score deadlocked at 50-50, Elmhurst (11-6, 3-6 CCIW) scored twice in the lane to pull in front. Jocelyn Trotter scored twice in the lane off passes from Megan McClure, then sank a 10-foot jumper with an assist from Grace Kieffer to nudge the Cardinals back in front, 56-55, with 4:48 to play.

North Central went scoreless for the next 2:25 and trailed, 60-56, before Joslyn Simmons-Doxie's triving layup. Kieffer scored on the fast break to pull the hosts within one point at 61-60, which the Bluejays' Kristin Bukata answered with a jumper from 15 feet before Trotter took an inbound pass in the left corner and buried a three-pointer to tie the score at 63-63 with 33.3 seconds on the clock.

Elmhurst, however, changed ends quickly and got the ball to Cierra Steemer for a layup to regain the lead with 28.6 seconds left. The Bluejays stole North Central's inbound pass and Bukata gave the guests some breathing room with two charity shots.

The Cardinals led by as many as seven points in the first half before a nearly six-minute gap between field goals enabled Elmhurst to take a 30-28 lead into halftime as Bukata's jumper beat the buzzer. North Central outscored the Bluejays, 13-4, in a four-minute stretch late in the third period to turn a 43-37 deficit into a 50-47 lead.

Trotter led all scorers with 21 points on 9 of 11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds to post a sixth double-double this season. Trotter also blocked two shots and shared the team lead with Reilly Boyer as each claimed three of the Cardinals' 11 steals. Boyer finished with career-high totals of 14 points and six rebounds, while Simmons-Doxie scored 13 points. Steemer paced the BLuejays with 19 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks.

North Central hosts Millikin University Wednesday, with tipoff at Gregory Arena set for 7:00 p.m. The Big Blue are 6-12 (5-4 CCIW) after a 72-61 victory over North Park University. Click HERE for the full 2024-2025 schedule and live coverage options.

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