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

KENOSHA, Wis. (Feb. 5, 2025) - Avenging an overtime loss to Carthage College earlier in the season, the North Central College women's basketball team led for a majority of the game in a 62-50 victory over the Firebirds to keep the Cardinals in the hunt for the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Tournament.

Biz Daly scored the game's first basket on a second chance opportunity, thanks to a Jocelyn Trotter offensive rebound. Daly continued her success in the paint, scoring the Cardinals' first six points before Grace Kieffer buried a three-pointer to put North Central on top, 9-8. A layup from Reilly Boyer extended the Cardinal lead to seven, 18-11 in the final minute of the opening quarter.

The Firebirds battled back in the early stages of the second quarter to even the contest at 20-20. Both teams traded baskets as a Josylin Simmons-Doxie layup tied the game at 26-26 before Daly scored on North Central's final possession of the first half with a basket to give the Cardinals a slight 28-26 advantage.

Simmons-Doxie sank a three-pointer early in the third quarter to put the Cardinals ahead by six, 34-28. A 10-2 run by North Central, capped off with a successful trip to the free throw line by Kieffer put the Cardinals in the driver's seat, up 41-30. Trotter and Simmons-Doxie each scored in the paint to give the Cardinals a 46-37 edge with 10 minutes to play.

Again the teams traded baskets as back-to-back field goals from Trotter kept North Central's lead in double-figures, 54-42. An 8-2 run from Carthage brought the home team within six, but Simmons-Dixie, Trotter and Ameli Sanchez proved clutch at the free throw line to secure a 62-50 victory for the Cardinals. North Central moves to 8-13 and 4-8 in CCIW play while Carthage falls to 15-6 and 7-5 in conference play.

Daly led all scorers with 14 points and nine rebounds with Trotter scoring 12 points and also adding nine rebounds. Simmons-Doxie tallied 12 points and eight assists, a career-high.  As a team, North Central shot 41% from the field and 81% from the charity stripe. Carthage was led by Marianna Morrissey with 13 points.

The Cardinals return home to Gregory Arena Saturday to celebrate senior day. The pregame festivities will begin at 1:50 p.m. before the scheduled 2:00 p.m. tipoff against North Park University.

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