BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The two teams combined for a conference record in points but the Illinois Wesleyan women's baskteball team lost in a 121-113 shootout to North Central at the Shirk Center on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

The Titans fell to 15-7 overall and 9-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin while the Cardinals improved to 11-12 overall and 4-8 in the league.

The total of 234 points for the two teams breaks the record of 221, set earlier this season (Jan. 22) when IWU claimed a 115-106 win at North Central.

Illinois Wesleyan fell behind early in the game, trailing by an 11-4 score with 18:09 left in the half. But IWU rolled off 12 straight points to get a 16-11 lead (15:58). The Cardinals battled back to get a 30-28 lead (10:18) before the Titans went on a 13-0 run to lead 41-30 with 7:42 to go before halftime. The Cardinals then came back to tie the game at intermission 59-59.

Early in the second half IWU led 66-61 and the Cardinals went on a 15-0 run to lead 76-66 and held on the rest of the way, leading by as many as 20 at 101-81 with 7:23 left.

IWU outrebounded North Central 55-53 and 26 of IWU's 46 buckets came off assists. The Titans committed 26 turnovers compared to 21 for the Cardinals.

Illinois Wesleyan Statistics and Leaders
Field Goal Percentage - .479 (46 of 96)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .444 (8 of 18)
Free Throw Percentage - .591 (13 of 22)
Senior Shelby Jackson (23 points, 15 rebounds)
Senior Lexi Baltes (20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists)
Senior Colleen McMahon (18 points, 7 assists)
Freshman Amanda Kelly (15 points)
Junior Kasey Reaber (12 points, 6 assists)

North Central Statistics and Leaders
Field Goal Percentage - .361 (22 of 61)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .286 (4 of 14)
Free Throw Percentage - .741 (20 of 27)
Maryssa Cladis (18 points, 6 assists)
Tess Godhardt (17 points, 10 rebounds)
Bobbi Johns (13 points)

Who's Next?
IWU plays at home again at 5 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 15) in the "Seniors' Night" game against league leading and nationally-ranked Carthage (20-2 ovreall, 11-0 CCIW).