WHEATON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team knocked off nationally ranked Wheaton College, 81-62, in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play at King Arena Wednesday evening, Dec. 11. The Titans boosted their record to 4-4 overall and 2-0 in the CCIW, while Wheaton dropped to 9-2 on the season, including a 2-2 mark in league action.

Senior Kaia Bowen (Rantoul, Ill.-St. Thomas More) put together a career day, despite being undersized in the post. The Rantoul, Ill. native poured in a career-high 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including a 5-of-5 effort at the charity stripe. Freshman Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East) added 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while senior Brooke Lansford (Leawood, Kan.-Blue Valley West) and junior Katelyn Heller (Glen Ellyn, Ill.-Glenbard West) tallied 15 and 13 points, respectively. Senior Catie Eck (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) contributed nine points and tied Huber and Heller for the team lead with three steals.

Illinois Wesleyan shot 45 percent from the field for the game, while Wheaton connected on 38.1 percent of its shots. Despite the Thunder hitting seven triples to IWU's four, the Titans' went 23-for-28 at the free throw line to upend Wheaton. The Thunder finished 7-for-8 from the charity stripe.

Wheaton's height advantage did little to thwart a tenacious Titan squad on the glass, as Illinois Wesleyan mounted a 40-34 advantage in rebounds. IWU also forced 21 Wheaton turnovers, fueled by 14 steals. 

Wheaton scored the game's first eight points, but Illinois Wesleyan rallied back, eventually taking a six-point lead into halftime. 

Coming out of the break up 36-30, IWU expanded its lead as the Titan full-court press frazzled the Thunder. 

Wheaton battled back to cut the deficit to five, 47-42, on Hannah Swider's three-pointer, but Bowen's and-one got the Titans back on track. A hoop and harm by Bowen with 3:59 to go in the period put Illinois Wesleyan up eight, 50-42, and jump started an IWU run. Huber followed with a layup and an and-one of her own, before Heller's bucket upped the Titan lead to 57-42 with 2:52 on the clock. 

Leading by 12 with 10 minutes to go, Illinois Wesleyan saw its advantage cut in half with 3:45 to play as Ellie Cassel sank a layup. With the IWU lead down to 65-59, Heller converted a circus shot on a drive down the left side of the lane. The Green and White added five free throws to reclaim a double-digit lead, before the Titans scored the final seven points of the game en route to an 81-62 victory. 

Illinois Wesleyan went 6-for-7 from the field and 10-for-11 from the free throw line to outscore the Thunder 22-15 over the final 10 minutes, as the Titans grabbed their third straight victory.

IWU returns home for a brief two-game homestand Wednesday, Dec. 15, for a CCIW clash with North Central College. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. inside the Shirk Center.