Whittier, Calif. - The 24th-ranked Thunder women's basketball team returned to action on Thursday afternoon with a 79-47 rout of UC Santa Cruz at the Poet Classic. With the victory, Wheaton improves to 7-2 on the season while UC Santa Cruz had its record evened at 7-7 overall. Wheaton will wrap up its participation in the tournament on Friday afternoon with a 4 pm (PST) tipoff against Whitworth University.

​A lop-sided first quarter set the tone for Wheaton on Thursday in a wire-to-wire victory. The Banana Slugs kept things close early and pulled within two points at 13-11 with 3:34 remaining in the first quarter. A Devin Kyler jumper and ensuing steal jump started a 14-0 Thunder run. The run was capped by an Ellie Zeller (PICTURED RIGHT) three-pointer in her first action since suffering a season-ending injury early last season.

Wheaton led 27-14 after the first quarter and never led by fewer than 12 points throughout the second quarter as the Thunder built up a dominant 46-26 lead at the intermission. The Thunder would stretch the lead to as many as 24 points in the third quarter and scored the game's final eight points to establish its largest lead of the night at the final buzzer for a 79-47 victory.

Wheaton 47.5 % (29-61) from the field and hit on 31.3% (5-16) of its three-point opportunities. Wheaton shot 16-21 (76.2%) from the free throw line. The Banana Slugs were held to 28.8% (17-59) shooting from the field and 31.3% (10-32) shooting from the three-point line. UCSC shot 75% (3-4) at the charity stripe. Wheaton won the rebounding battle 44-34 with each team grabbing 11 offensive rebounds.

Katie McDaniels led all scorers with 23 points on 9-18 shooting. She was joined in double figures by Chantal Meacham and Maggie Dansdill with 10 points each. Devin Kyler led all players with 14 rebounds. Jasmin Dimson and Kim Tom led the Banana Slugs with 11 points apiece.

Wheaton will face Whitworth at 4 pm (PST) on Friday in their final game of 2016.