The Millikin women's basketball team lost to North Central College 87-85 on Jan. 8 in Decatur, Ill. 

          North Central features full court pressure defense and a run and shoot offense that propelled them to a 43-34 advantage at the half.  The Big Blue out ran the Cardinals in the second half outscoring them 51-44, but North Central pulled out the victory in the games' final seconds.

          After fighting its way back into the game, Millikin took the lead at 85-84 on a Bria Williams basket and free throw with 1:20 left to play.  Twenty seconds later Larynn Shumaker answered back with a three point play of her own to give the Cardinals the 87-85 lead.  Millikin had its chance for the win, but missed on three shots in the final ten seconds.

          The game featured 160 field goal attempts and 57 free throw attempts with 118 rebounds.  North Central shot 34 percent (29-85) while Millikin shot 44 percent (33-75).  The big difference in the game was from beyond the three point arc where North Central connected on 11-38 attempts while the Big Blue missed on its only attempt.

Millikin controlled the rebounding battle 61-43.  The Big Blue committed 39 turnovers while the Cardinals had 29.

          Millikin got 25 points and 12 rebounds from Brittany Czaplicki.  Bria Williams had 21 points and seven rebounds. 

          The Cardinals had four players scoring in double figures led by Shumaker with 19 and Bobbi Johns with 15.

          Millikin falls to 6-7, 0-2 while North Central goes to 8-5, 1-1.

          The Big Blue travel to Elmhurst for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday, Jan. 11.