Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton women's basketball team defeated Augustana 96-66 on Saturday night in the second semifinal game of the CCIW Women's Basketball Tournament. Wheaton advances to face Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. in the CCIW Tournament Championship Game. IWU defeated Elmhurst 63-62 in the other semifinal tonight.

The 96 points scored by the Thunder tonight is tied for the most in ever in a CCIW Tournament game, matching 96 by Illinois Wesleyan on Feb. 24, 2012 against Millikin and also by Illinois Wesleyan in a win against North Central on Feb. 26, 2016. Wheaton's 36 field goals tonight also tied a CCIW Tournament record as Wheaton matches its own tournament record when the Thunder made 36 field goals against North Central on February 28, 2015.

Augustana led early in the first quarter tonight as the Vikings held a 12-7 lead with 6:25 left in the first quarter. Thunder All-American Katie McDaniels made a layup with 4:40 remaining in the first quarter to give Wheaton its first lead of the night at 16-15. McDaniels' basket sparked a 14-4 Wheaton run to close out the first quarter as the Thunder led 30-19 at the conclusion of the opening quarter. Wheaton never trailed in the remainder of the game.

McDaniels led the Thunder with 24 points of 10-of-16 shooting from the field. The senior also had five assists tonight and she concluded the night with 465 career assists to establish a new school record. She surpasses the longstanding school record of 463 assists set by Kerry Cole (1995-99). McDaniels also had four steals for the Thunder.

Chantal Meacham was 6-of-9 from the field, making five of eight three-point attempts as she registered 17 points for the Thunder. Meacham distributed four assists and snatched four steals. Maggie Dansdill scored 15 points with five rebounds and two assists. Kelly Lawson scored 14 points to round out Wheaton's four players in double digits. Jill Berg and Devin Kyler each scored six points. Berg and Dansdill each grabbed five rebounds to lead the Thunder on the glass.

The Thunder shot 59% (36-of-61) from the field tonight, including 44.4% (8-of-18) behind the three-point arc. Augustana posted a 38.3% (23-of-60) field goal percentage, including 25% (4-of-16) from three-point range. Wheaton shot 66.7% (16-of-24) at the free throw line and the Vikings had a 76.2% (16-of-21) effort at the charity stripe. Augustana held a 38-29 rebounding advantage, including a 19-11 edge on the offensive glass. Augustana committed 19 turnovers tonight as the Thunder out-scored Augustana 29-10 in points off turnovers in the contest.