The Millikin women's basketball team defeated Wartburg College 81-68 in the opening round the 2022 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament at Zorn Arena in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on March 4. The Big Blue will play in the Regional Championship game on Saturday at 5 p.m. against the winner of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and North Central University (Minn.) 

Millikin jumped out to an 11-6 lead midway through the the first quarter. The Big Blue pressure defense played a role in the early going with Millikin scoring seven points on turnovers in the first five minutes of the game. 

The Big Blue would then go scoreless for a five-minute stretch and trailed 14-13 after the first quarter. 

The game was tied at 17-17 with 7:33 left in the second quarter when Millikin went on an 18-6 run and lead 35-23 with 2:24 left in the first half. 

Elyce Knudsen scored 19 first half points for Millikin with 12 coming in the second quarter. The Big Blue lead 40-21 at halftime. 

Wartburg pulled within four points at 43-39 with 7:22 left in the third quarter.  Millikin's Miranda Fox then hit a three-pointer to spark another Big Blue run. On the Knights next possession, Chelsea McCullum made a steal and scored a fast break layup to push the Big Blue lead back out to 48-39. Wartburg's Jaedon Murphy answered with a three-pointer, but Bailey Coffman responded for the Big Blue with her own three-pointer to make it  

51-42 with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter. Millikin led 62-48 at the end of the third quarter and things were looking good for the Big Blue who are now 22-1 when leading after three quarters.  

Millikin shot 32-60 (53 percent) from the field for the game and made 10-15 (67 percent) from three-point range. Millikin was 11-14 from the field in the second quarter and 9-15 in the third quarter. Wartburg shot 27-62 (43.5 percent) from the field and made 7-25 (28 percent) from three-point range. The Knights entered the game, second in the nation in three-pointers averaging over 10 per game. 

Knudsen led Millikin with 36 points including going 5-7 from three-point range. She added four assists and three rebounds. Fifth year senior Jordan Hildebrand who returned to the Big Blue for her extra year for a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament scored 18 points with five rebounds and four steals. Bailey Coffman had 13 points and five rebounds.  

Millikin improves to 22-6 and earns its first NCAA Tournament win since 2005 when the Big Blue won the NCAA Division III National Championship. 

Wartburg season ends at 21-6.