Whitter, Calif. - Four Wheaton players finished in double figures to pace the 24th-ranked Thunder women's basketball team in a 75-53 victory over Whitworth on Friday. Wheaton finishes 2-0 at the Poet Classic hosted by Whittier College. Wheaton closes the 2016 portion of its calendar with a record of 8-2 overall. Whitworth falls to 4-7 with the loss. Wheaton will next be in action on Wednesday, January 4, when the Thunder return to CCIW action with a 7 pm tipoff at unbeaten Augustana.

Wheaton shot 29-64 (45.3%) from the field despite struggling to only 6-22 (27.3%) on three-point attempts. For the second straight day, Wheaton held its opponent to below 30% shooting, holding the Pirates to 18-62 (29%) from the field. Whitworth was 3-18 (16.7%) on three-point attempts. Wheaton shot 73.3% (11-15) from the charity stripe while Whitworth shot 87.5% (14-16).

Devin Kyler posted a double-double, leading all players in points with 16, and rebounds with 11. Kyler also had a game-high five blocks. Katie McDaniels scored 13 points and Chantal Meacham and Kelly Lawson each finished with 11 points. Wheaton outrebounded the Pirates 48-31 including a 12-8 edge on the offensive glass.

​Wheaton would lead from start to finish for the second straight game, racing out to a 6-0 lead while holding the Pirates scoreless for the first two minutes of the game. Whitworth would get within two points at 14-12 but the Thunder answered with a seven-point run capped by a Chantal Meacham (PICTURED RIGHT) three-pointer. A Kelly Thornton three-pointer at the buzzer would give Wheaton a 24-15 edge at the end of the first quarter.

The Pirates scored the first bucket of the second quarter to get within seven points but would get no closer for the remainder of the game. A Kelly Lawson three-pointer started a 13-0 Thunder run that saw Wheaton hold Whitworth scoreless for over four minutes as Wheaton built a 37-17 lead midway through the quarter. Whitworth would later close the quarter with five unanswered points including a buzzer beater to get within 43-30 at halftime.

The lead would be stretched back to 20 points midway through the quarter and Wheaton would lead by as many as 25 points while coasting to the 75-53 victory.

Wheaton will next be in action on Saturday when the Thunder return to CCIW play for a matchup against unbeaten Augustana. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 pm on Wednesday night at the Carver Center in Rock Island.