(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - Junior guard Allison Long (Hebron, Ky./Conner) reached the 1,000 career point plateau, but it wasn't enough as the 23rd-ranked Thomas More College women's basketball team fell, 87-50, to 16th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University tonight (Saturday, March 3, 2012) in an NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament second round game at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

With the loss, the Saints end the season at 25-5.  With the win, the Titans improve to 24-5 and advance to play sixth-ranked University of Mount Union in a sectional semifinal game to be played next Friday at a site to be announced tomorrow.

Illinois Wesleyan jumped out to an early 12-1 lead when Melissa Gardner made a three-pointer with 15:09 to play in the first half.  Thomas More answered with a 9-3 lead to cut the lead to 15-10 with 11:21 to play in the game when senior guard/forward Lauren Hargett (Verona, Ky./Walton-Verona) made a three-pointer.  The Titans closed out the half on a 34-11 run capped by a Michelle Bilek lay-up with 16-seconds to play in the half to increase the lead to 49-21 at halftime.

The Titans opened the second half on a 27-13 run to extend the lead to 76-34 when Olivia Lett made two free-throws with 9:32 to play in the game.  The Saints closed out the second half on a 16-11 run, but it wasn't enough as Illinois Wesleyan won the game 87-50.

Long made a lay-up with 15:20 to play in the second half for her 1,001 career point at Thomas More.  She finished the game with 12 points for 1,002 career points.  Two other Saints reached double-figure scoring as junior guard Jill Brunsman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) finished with 12 points and sophomore forward Moriah Corey (Louisville, Ky./Butler) had 10 points.  Corey led the Saints on the boards with eight rebounds, while Long led the team in assists with four.