The 11th ranked Millikin women's basketball team fell victim to a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) road upset losing at North Central College 84-78 in Naperville, Illinois on January 3, 2024.

The game was a tight one the entire way with 10 lead changes and eight ties. The score was tied at 22-22 at the end of the first quarter. Millikin pulled out to a 13 point lead late in the second quarter and went to the locker room at halftime up 44-33.  North Central got things rolling in the third quarter outscoring the Big Blue 25-12 to take a 58-56 advantage heading into the final quarter. The Cardinals shot 7-14 from the field in the third quarter making 2-4 from three point range while Millikin made on 5-13 and went 0-4 from beyond the arc.

Millikin rallied midway through the fourth quarter and took a 70-65 lead with 4:15 left to play in the game. A three-pointer from Elle Sutter started the North Central rally. Megan McClure tied the game at 72-72 with 2:18 remaining before Sutter hit another three pointer to put the Cardinals in front for good.

Millikin shot 42 percent (27-64) from the field. Heading into the game, Millikin lead all of NCAA Division III in three-point field goal shooting. However, the Big Blue have struggled from beyond the arc in recent games including against North Central making on 3-15 (19 percent). North Central shot 44 percent (30-68) from the field and made 8-21 from three-point range. Millikin won the rebounding battle 45-36.

Elyce Knudsen led Millikin with 24 points. Sophie Darden had her sixth double double of the year with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Bailey Coffman had her own double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Emily White came off the Millikin bench to score 13 points and grab five rebounds.

Sutter led the Cardinals with 25 points and seven rebounds. McClure added 20 points and eight rebounds.

Millikin is now 10-3, 2-2 while North Central improves to 7-7, 2-3.