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Schedule and Results

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Wheaton women picked up a big victory this afternoon with a 62-55 win over an Illinois Wesleyan squad that entered the game in a tie for first place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Wheaton improves to 14-4 overall and 5-3 in the CCIW, while the Titans fall to 13-7 overall and 7-2 in league play.

The win was the 300th in the 17-year career of Thunder head coach Beth Baker who has a 300-126 career record (.704). The 1977 Wheaton graduate has spent her entire 17-year collegiate coaching career at her alma mater. In that time she has led Wheaton to three CCIW Championships, four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances and is among the winningest active women's basketball coaches in Division III.

Illinois Wesleyan jumped out to an early lead with a 16-8 advantage with 11:58 to play in the first half. The Titans held a 19-12 advantage with 9:26 to play the opening period, but saw Wheaton go on a 17-4 run to give the guests a 29-23 lead with 1:35 left before halftime. Once the Thunder took the lead in that run it never gave it up as the guests held a 33-29 halftime lead.

Wheaton led by as many as 15 points with a 54-39 advantage with 8:36 to play in the game, but Illinois Wesleyan rallied with a 16-4 run to cut the Thunder advantage to 58-55 as 1:22 remained in the game. Over the next minute Illinois Wesleyan's Katie Cantrell attempted two 3-point attempts that would have tied the game, but Wheaton's defense held firm and Sarah Clark sank four free throws in the final 13 seconds of the game to secure the win for the Thunder.

Senior guard Jane Berg scored a career-high 16 points, including 12 in the first half, in addition to five rebounds and two assists to lead Wheaton. Sophomore Claire Bennett scored 13 points with seven rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Erin Wingerter scored 10 points and Clark added nine points with five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Cantrell led all scorers with 17 points with six rebounds, but the Wheaton defense hounded the Titans' leading scorer all day as she shot 6-for-19 from the field and committed seven turnovers. Guard Elisa Ettner scored 11 points, but she struggled to shoot 4-for-14 from the floor.
Wheaton shot 41.8% (23-for-55) from the field in the game, with 10.5% (2-for-19) from 3-point range and 82.4% (14-for-17) from the free throw line. Illinois Wesleyan shot 31.7% (20-63) from the floor, 32% (8-for-25) from 3-point range and 77.8% (7-for-9) from the free throw line. Each team grabbed 39 rebounds today as the Titans held a 15-10 advantage on the offensive glass.