After posting a win to take over first place in the conference on Monday, the Millikin women's basketball team lost on the road 70-69 in overtime at North Central College in Naperville on February 9.
The loss drops Millikin back into a tie for first place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) with Illinois Wesleyan at 11-2.
The Titans were 81-60 winners over North Park on Wednesday.
Millikin suffered through one of its worst shooting performances of the season making only 26 percent (19-72) from the field. The Big Blue were 5-17 in the first quarter and 3-17 in the second quarter. North Central led 17-12 after one quarter and 26-22 at halftime. Millikin turned things around in the third quarter out scoring Norther Central 23-13 at take the lead at 45-39 at the end of the third quarter. North Central had a six point scoring edge in the fourth quarter to send game to overtime.
Millikin struggled from three point range shooting 23.5 percent (4-17) and from the free throw line going 27-34 (79 percent). The Big Blue missed a five throws in the final quarter and overtime session.
North Central shot 47 percent (27-57) from the field and went 5-14 (35 percent) from three-point range. The Cardinals made only 11-17 (65 percent) from the free throw line.
Bailey Coffman hit two free throws with 44 seconds left in the overtime period to tie the game at 68-68. Millikin went 1-2 from the free throw line with 24 seconds left making it a 69-68 lead. Stephanie Kowalczyk went 1-2 from the line with 18 seconds remaining in overtime to tie the game at 69-69. Millikin missed two attempts to take the lead before North Central's Elle Sutter grabbed the rebound with five seconds left and raced down the court for a final shot attempt in the final second. Sutter missed the shot with Millikin getting whistled for a foul setting the stage for Sutter's game winning free throw.
Coffman led Millikin with 24 points followed by Jordan Hildebrand with 14 and Elyce Knudsen with 11. Miranda Fox had a team high nine rebounds along with six points.
Allison Pearson led North Central with 15 points followed by Mitrese Smith with 10.
Millikin is now 17-5, 11-2 while North Central improves to 9-14, 6-8.