Game Notes (WBK): Illinois Wesleyan University @ North Central College (2/6/21)

Final Score

IWU 77, NCC 52

Game Summary

Catching up from this past weekend, the Cardinals (0-5) started this one out pretty well all things considered. While they struggled offensively, they did a good job keeping the Titans (1-1) under wraps despite giving up a layup right off the opening tip. The Titans did get out to a 7-0 lead early, but the Cardinals fought back to within 11-6, the Titans started to get cold from the floor... and then the bottom fell out. A careless outlet pass was easily picked off, turned into an Illinois Wesleyan three, and a couple more gave the Titans a 20-6 edge after ten minutes. The Titans led by as many as 19 early in the second, but the Cardinals tried to fight back, cutting the deficit to ten with under a minute to go in the half. A fast break Titan layup made it 12, the Cardinals couldn't cash in on their last try, then compounded matters with a dumb foul on a halfcourt heave, with all three free throws falling to make it 38-23 at the break. After again surrendering an immediate layup to open the third, the Titans unleashed their press, and despite the Cardinals pushing to stay within 15, a late Titan surge opened the floodgates for a 25 point lead after three. Mia Smith called off the dogs early in the fourth, the Cardinals responded, and the Cardinal end of bench played well enough to not let the lead get higher than 31 briefly.

Key Players

• Kendall Sosa (IWU): 6-13 FG (0-2 3PT), 4-5 FT; 16 pts, 3 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 4 stl. Sosa is IWU's best player, and in her other games has lit opposing defenses up. So to hold her to just 16... is something of a victory, especially since it was on a reasonable field goal percentage. I'm probably reaching a bit for moral victories in a game we lost by 25, but I think this was a good sign.
• Samantha Munroe (IWU): 4-8 FG (4-6 3PT); 12 pts, 2 reb, 4 ast. I could have gone with Brooke Lansford here (also 12 points), but Lansford turned it over seven times, while Munroe did only once, and Munroe hit some big threes to put the Titans in command of this game.
• IxChel Leeuwenburgh (NCC): 1-4 FG (0-1 3PT), 3-6 FT; 5 pts, 16 reb (6 off), 1 ast, 1 stl. On a day where no Cardinals hit double figures, you have to go with the game high rebounding total. Leeuwenburgh dominated the glass in this one, and while it doesn't crack the top five of rebounding performances in program history, it's the most in a game since Jamie Cuny matched that mark back in 2015-16.

Key Stats

• IWU: Outscored NCC in the paint 38-20. There was some good post play, but the slashing game worked pretty well for the Titans as well in this one. Illinois Wesleyan opened three of the four quarters with possession, and got a quick layup on all three (plus one on their first possession of the second quarter, which they did not start the ball with). It was a good way to get the Cardinals on their heels early.
• NCC: Outrebounded IWU 50-42. On a day where the team shot poorly throughout (25.2% from the floor, and just 4-24 from deep), the one bright spot was a good performance on the glass. The Cardinals actually doubled up the Titans on second chance points too (10-5). Ultimately the Titans proved to be too much, but this was a positive to take away.

CCIW Scoreboard Watch

• MIL 73 (4-1), @ CAR 51 (0-4)
• @ WHE 69 (4-1), ELM 54 (1-4)
• @ CRL 57 (3-1), NPU 49 (3-1)
• BYE: AUG (3-1)
• MBK: @ IWU 91 (2-0), NCC 77 (3-2)

Final Thoughts

Watching your team get blown out is never fun, but honestly, I thought the Cardinals played pretty well, all things considered. The Titans were clearly the better team on Saturday, it showed in the final score and through a lot of the statistics, but the Cardinals didn't just go quietly into the night. They played fairly well defensively, occasional breakdown to allow a layup and some careless turnovers aside. They kept the turnover battle fairly close, won on the glass, which to me seems like a rarity, and didn't just roll over from the third quarter full court press. It's been frustrating for a team that I figured could win five or six games to have none to this point, but they've been in almost every game except this one, and even early in this one it took a bit before the Titans pulled away.

North Central doesn't get to let up though, as next up comes a double header against a feisty Millikin squad that's had their number the past couple years, and even split with Illinois Wesleyan already this season. The Cardinals did play them tough at home last year, though Thursday's date is in Decatur before they come back and play at Merner on Saturday.