The Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball team has advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division III tournament for the third straight season with a 84-69 win over Wisconsin Lutheran at the Shirk Center on Saturday, March 5.

The Titans (25-4) will play Coe (26-3) in the sectional round. Coe was a 79-56 winner over Howard Payne. The other Friday game will pit Wisconsin-Stevens Point against George Fox [Oregon] (23-5). The Pointers topped Simpson, 82-75, while George Fox downed Louisiana College, 63-47, to advance to the round of 16 for the sixth time.
The site of the sectional will be announced on Sunday, March 5.

The Titans led by a 40-27 score at halftime but the Warriors closed to within three points at 45-42 and tied the game at 49-49 with 10:25 to go on three free throws by Krissy Day.
A basket by Shavon Dillon gave the Warriors a 51-49 lead before Stacey Arlis converted a three-point play to put the Titans back ahead to stay at 52-51.

Illinois Wesleyan made 25 of 57 from the field (43.9 percent) and connected on six of 18 3-point free tries (33.3 percent) while making 28 of 33 free throws (84.8 percent).

The Titans got 26 points each from seniors Nikki Preston and Stacey Arlis and 20 points out of junior Olivia Lett. Arlis tied a career-high with her 26 points, the fourth time she has done that.

IWU outrebounded the Warriors by a 42-37 margin and Arlis also tied her career-best with 14 rebounds.

The Warriors shot 37.5 percent (24 of 64) from the field and made six of 21 (28.6 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc. Wisconsin Lutheran made 15 of the 22 free throws they tried (68.2 percent).

Shavon Dillon scored 20 points and Rachel Johnson added 13 for the Warriors, whose season ends with a 26-4 record.