Naperville, Ill. – The Wheaton Thunder women's basketball team, ranked 25th in this week's D3hoops.com Top-25 poll never trailed on Saturday night in an impressive 112-71 victory at North Central (10-9, 4-6 CCIW). Wheaton (15-3, 8-1 CCIW) scored the game's first 22 points over the first 6:07 and the Cardinals' first field goal of the game did not come until there were 58-seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The Thunder led 33-5 at the conclusion of the first quarter and held a 57-19 lead at halftime. Wheaton led by as many as 53 points three times during the game. The final 53-point bulge for the guests was a 107-54 lead with 5:10 remaining in the game.
Kelly Lawson scored a career-high 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, indlueing 2-of-3 from three-point range and she added four assists. Senior Katie McDaniels scored 20 points on a perfect 6-of-6 effort from the floor. The Thunder All-American grabbed nine rebounds, with seven assists and five steals.
Freshman Jordan Myroth was 6-of-6 from the field as she scored 13 points for the guests. Maggie Dansdill and Ellie Zeller each scored eight points with three assists. Senior Chantal Meacham tallied seven points. Wheaton had 14 of its 16 players that participated tonight score at least two points.
The Thunder shot a season-high 60.6% (43-of-71) field goal percentage, including 35.7% (5-of-14) from three-point range. North Central shot 33.3% (24-of-72) from the field, including a 29.4% (15-of-51) behind the three-point arc. Wheaton shot 80.8% (21-of-26) at the free throw line and Cardinals tallied a 47.1% (8-of-17) effort at the charity stripe. Wheaton out-rebounded the Cardinals 50-33 and North Central owned a 16-14 advantage on the offensive glass. Wheaton took advantage of North Central's up-tempo style as the Thunder out-scored the hosts 14-0 in fast break points.
Maddie McHugh led North Central with 12 points. Veronica LaVia and Paula Zerante each scored 10 points for the hosts.
The Thunder will remain on the road Wednesday night for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff at Carthage.
Note Worthy: Tonight's 112-point effort is the most by Wheaton in a single game since the Thunder scored 118 points against North Central on January 25, 2014…the 60.6% field goal percentage is the second-highest single-game mark in program history, bested only by a 63.8% (37-of-58) field goal percentage by Wheaton on January 27, 1996 against North Central…Wheaton's 60.6% field goal percentage tonight is the 15th-highest single-game field goal percentage in Division III this year…North Central's nine-plus minutes without a field to open the game was part of a string of 18 minutes and 36 seconds that Wheaton held a conference opponent without a field goal