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

Box Score

Nov. 20, 2015 – Opening play in the 2015 North Central College Tip-Off Tournament, the women's basketball team tied the program record for single-game scoring, while breaking three additional program records in a 124-68 win over Principia College.

The Cardinals 124 points ties the program's single-game record, established two seasons ago as the Cardinals defeated Dominican University, 124-64 on Dec. 19, 2013.  North Central's 131 total field goal attempts shattered the previous single-game high of 114, while falling just three attempts short of the NCAA Division III mark.

North Central also established new program single-game  records with 82 total rebounds and 31 assists, while the Cardinals 25 made three-pointers rank second in NCAA Division III history, falling just one three-pointer shy of North Central's own NCAA Division III record of 26 made three-pointers set last season.  The Cardinals 46 made field goals rank second in program history, while also ranking second in three-point field goals attempted (77) and fifth in winning margin (56 points).

With the win, the Cardinals advance to the Tip-Off Tournament championship tomorrow, squaring off against No. 13 Maryville College (Tennessee) at 5 p.m.  The Scots (2-0), ranked 13^th in the d3hoops.com preseason top-25 poll, defeated No. 22 Bethel University (Minnesota) in the tournament opener 65-43.

The Cardinals opened the contest on a 11-0 run and didn't look back, putting up an incredible 42 points in the opening quarter, shooting 12-of-27 from three-point range in the opening frame.  Three consecutive three-pointers from Kimberly Wilson, Miranda Grizaffi and Jamie Cuny, as well as a Mayson Whipple lay-up gave the Cardinals an 11-0 advantage to open the contest.

North Central (1-1) continued to pour on the offense early on, closing out the first quarter on a 17-0 run over the final 3:20, converting on 5-of-7 long balls during the run to take a commanding 42-15 lead after the opening quarter.

Anita Sterling outscored the Panthers (0-2) in the first quarter, finishing with 17 points on 5-of-5 shooting from three-point range and 6-of-6 shooting from the field.
The Cardinals came out cold in quarter number two, as Principia opened the quarter on a 11-0 run, but 16 points was as close as the Panthers came to overtaking the Cardinal lead, as North Central responded to take a 61-34 lead into the intermission.

North Central rolled in the second half, eclipsing the 100-point plateau in the third quarter, while holding a 40+ point lead the remainder of the contest.
The North Central defense forced 31 Panther turnovers, while holding a 50-15 advantage in offensive rebounds, as 50 of the Cardinals 82 boards came on the offensive glass.

Five Cardinals finished in double-figure scoring, led by Sterling's 20 points.  Therese Petterssonrecorded her second career double-double, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Grizaffi added 15 points and Whipple finished with 14.  Michaela Reedy turned in a career-high 11 points, whileErica Buck added a career-high 10 rebounds.

Principia's Kara Johnson led all players with 24 points to go along with 11 rebounds, finishing 11-of-22 from the field, while teammate Sophia Hathaway also finished with a double-double, with 11 points and 12 boards.

Principia will take on No. 22 Bethel in the tournament consolation game at 12 p.m., while North Central takes on No. 13 Maryville in the championship at 5 p.m.  Links to live in game coverage can be found at the tournament website.