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Contact: Drew Sauer, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Box Score

DECATUR, Ill. (Jan. 28, 2015) – After a slow start Wednesday night, the North Central College women's basketball avenged an early first half deficit while hanging on to its own double-figure lead late to defeat Millikin University, 80-76 and improve to 18-1 overall this season.
 
Offensively the 21^st-ranked Cardinals (18-1, 7-1 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) were held to a season-low 15 percent shooting from three-point land on 8-of-53 shooting, but the North Central defense forced 37 turnovers, leading to 33 points on the other end.
 
Despite holding an 11-point lead with just over seven minutes to play in the contest, North Central found itself leading by just three, 75-72 with 1:39 remaining.
 
On Millikin's next possession, Emma Hoyer connected on a lay-in down low to draw the Big Blue (13-6, 4-4 CCIW) to within one with 49 seconds to play, but Mayson Whipple took the inbounds pass, drove the length of the floor and hit the running lay-in to increase the Cardinal lead 77-74.
 
After an unsuccessful three-point attempt by the Big Blue on the other end, Bobbi Johns grabbed the rebound and proceeded to knock down a pair of crucial free throws after a Millikin foul.  Johns added another free throw on the next possession to seal the 80-76 victory.
 
North Central trailed by as many as nine points in the early minutes as Millikin held a 25-16 lead with nine minutes remaining in the opening half, but the Cardinals slowly chipped away at the lead to take a 40-38 lead into halftime.
 
Tess Godhardt led all Cardinal scorers with 16 points and a team-high three steals, while Whipple added 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field to go along with three assist.  Jamie Cuny finished with a team-high nine rebounds and two blocked shots.
 
Millikin's Kelsey Going paced all scorers with 22 points, while Alyssa Saklak finished with a double-double, adding 18 points and 10 boards. 
 
North Central plays host to No. 16 Wheaton College on Saturday, Jan. 31 in a top-25 battle inside Gregory Arena at 5 p.m.