Box Score
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A three-minute stretch late in the game spelled the difference Wednesday as Illinois Wesleyan defeated Augustana 85-71 at Carver Center. The Vikings fall to 5-16 overall and 1-9 in the CCIW, while the Titans improve to 14-6 on the year and 8-1 in the league.
 
After a pair of Chaney Tambling (Dwight HS, Dwight, Ill.) free throws with 6:18 remaining gave Augustana its first lead of the second half at 63-62, IWU's Lexi Baltes hit a three-pointer, sparking a 16-0 Titan run over the next three minutes. By the time Marissa Pezzopane (Addison Trail HS, Wood Dale, Ill.) broke the Viking drought with a jump hook in the lane at 2:36, Wesleyan led 78-65.
 
The hosts led for most of the first half. After Shelby Jackson scored 26 seconds in to give IWU a 2-0 lead, Augustana scored eight straight, including four by senior Amy Hicks (Rockford Christian HS, Rockford, Ill.) and the Titans wouldn't retake the lead until 2:18 remained before halftime.
 
The Vikings' biggest lead occurred three times in the opening period. Jessica Baids (West Chicago HS, Carol Stream, Ill.) finished off that initial 8-0 run with a basket to give Augustana an 8-2 lead at 17:09. A Hicks bucket at 16:41 put the Vikings up 10-4 and an Andrea McNally (Hinsdale South HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.) field goal at 12:45 matched that six-point advantage at 18-12.
 
Augustana still led 34-32 with three minutes left, but an Emily Beoletto basket and a Katy Siebring three put the visitors back in front for the first time since the first minute. Jackson's two free throws with 13 seconds left sent IWU to the locker room with a 41-36 lead.
 
The Vikings whittled away at the deficit in the second half. Free throws by Baids cut it to one point on two occasions and one by McNally at the 8:56 mark finally got Augustana even at 60-all.
 
Baids and Pezzopane each scored 16 to lead Augustana. Hicks finished in double digits as well, scoring a dozen. The Vikings shot .509 (27 of 53) from the field, .333 (4 of 12) from three-point range and .650 (13 of 20) from the free throw line and outrebounded IWU 38-33, but committed 34 turnovers against the Titan pressure. Wesleyan shot 32 of 72 (.444) from the floor, including six of 21 (.286) from three and hit 15 of 18 (.833) free throws.
 
Coach Mark Beinborn's club hits the road on Saturday, February 8 to face ninth-ranked Carthage in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.