McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team stumbled in overtime at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Friday afternoon, Dec. 30, to close out the 2022 calendar year. The Titans (7-6) suffered a 79-77 setback, as the Athenas boosted their record to 7-3.

A strong third quarter saw the Titans erase a seven-point halftime deficit. Freshman Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.-Montini Catholic) tallied seven points and junior Caite Knutson (Maryville, Ill.-Collinsville) added six in the third period as IWU clawed back to even the score at 48.

Back-to-back buckets by sophomore Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East) put the Green and White up 55-51 with 7:31 to play. From there, C-M-S had a response every time IWU tried to pull away. The Athenas hit a few three-pointers over the next few minutes, with the latest giving Claremont-Mudd-Scripps a 59-57 edge with 4:30 left.

Huber led a nine-point Illinois Wesleyan run with an and-one and a pair of buckets in the paint to flip the score, 64-61, in favor of the Green and White.

Clinging to a five-point lead with three minutes remaining in regulation, IWU could not hold off C-M-S as the Athenas hit a three-ball with 19 seconds left to send the game to OT.

The Titans led by as many as three in the extra period, but the Athenas capitalized on free throw attempts down the stretch to hold off Illinois Wesleyan, 79-77.

Huber led the Green and White with 28 points, while also adding nine rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Knutson added 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, and four steals, while White popped off for career-highs of 11 points, nine rebounds, five steals, and two blocks. Junior Kelly Carlson (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) added six points and seven rebounds off the bench. 

The Titans shot 44 percent from the floor as a team, going 33-for-75, but went just 2-for-11 from beyond the arc. IWU finished 9-for-14 from the free throw line, but could not overcome 28 turnovers. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps hit 28-of-59 shot attempts, including 10 three-pointers, but went 13-for-20 at the FT line.

The Green and White notched 17 steals, as C-M-S turned the ball over 27 times. Illinois Wesleyan held a 46-32 rebounding advantage with a  25-6 lead in second chance points. The Titans outscored the Athenas 50-32 in the paint. IWU also compiled a 19-2 lead in fast break points.

Illinois Wesleyan will have just under a week off before heading to Chicago for a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game at North Park University Wednesday, Jan. 4. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. 

Original source can be found here