BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Despite playing without its two leading scorers because of injury, the 21st-ranked Kohawks gave fifth-ranked, and defending National Champion, Illinois Wesleyan all it could handle in an 81-67 loss Saturday.
The Kohawks played the game without the services of their two leading scorers in senior Kayla Waskow (Dunkerton, Iowa/Dunkerton) and junior Mary Halvorson (Waterville, Iowa/Waukon). The two entered the game averaging 26.0 combined points in Coe's first two games.
The Titans jumped out to a 12-3 lead in the first 3:01 of the game. Coe scored four-straight to cut the lead to 12-7 with 16:12 to play in the opening frame before Illinois Wesleyan went on a run and looked to put the game away. The Titans hit three-straight 3-pointers to start a 13-0 run in 2:13, as Illinois Wesleyan took a 25-7 lead with 13:54 to play in the first half.
Coe wouldn't go away, as they responded with a 12-4 run in the next 6:02, cutting the Titan lead to 29-19 with 6:57 to play in the first half. Illinois Wesleyan scored six-straight in the next minute, taking a 35-19 lead with 5:39 to play in the first half before the Kohawks got hot again. The Kohawks ended the first half on a 16-4 run in the last 5:18, cutting the Titan lead to 39-35 lead at the half.
Illinois Wesleyan scored 11 of the first 17 points in the second half, holding a 50-41 lead with 15:26 to play. JuniorMackenzie Reed (Iowa City, Iowa/West) hit a jumper in the paint with 15:11 to play, sparking a 12-0 run for the Kohawks. A jumper and free throw by sophomore Megan Hayes (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf) with 12:01 to play gave Coe a 53-50 lead, its first since a 3-pointer by junior Lindsey Buckles (Davenport, Iowa/West) at the 19:03 mark of the first half.
After both teams went back-and-forth, Hayes scored on a layup with 7:55 to play, giving Coe a 62-61 lead. It was all Titans after that, as they outscored Coe 20-5 in the final 7:54 of the game. Coe trailed 73-67 with 2:12 to play before Illinois Wesleyan scored the final eight points.
The Kohawks committed 36 turnovers, the most since an overtime loss to top-ten ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater on Nov. 25, 2009. The Titans scored 39 points off Kohawk turnovers, while Coe scored 18 points off 19 Titan turnovers.
Hayes led the Kohawks with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Reed played just 15 minutes before fouling out with 8:05 to play, but added 15 points. Sophomore Lindsey Jipp (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) scored a career-high nine points. Buckles and senior Caitlin Kray (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) scored six points apiece.
Kray grabbed six rebounds, while senior Kelsey Jipp (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) and freshman Allie Wirth (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls) had five boards apiece, a career-high for Wirth. L. Jipp and junior Hannah Breitbach (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) had four assists a piece, a career-high for Jipp and tying a career-high for Breitbach. Kray tied a career-high with three assists.
Coe will face ninth-ranked Washington University of St. Louis in the third-place game on Sunday. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Bloomington, Ill.