Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Augustana used poise and just enough free throw shooting down the stretch to defeat Illinois Wesleyan 80-70 on Wednesday, February 11 in the Carver Center. The victory snapped a 20 game losing streak to the Titans that stretched back to an 81-59 Augustana win in the 2004-05 season.
 
With 4:11 left in the contest the score was tied 61-61; the ninth time the game was deadlocked on the night, after a basket by junior Marissa Pezzopane (Addison Trail HS, Wood Dale, Ill.). From that point on, however, the Vikings controlled the action and finished on a 19-9 run to close out the victory.
 
Augustana sophomore Jennifer VanWatermeulen (United Township HS, Silvis, Ill.) picked up a steal and then nailed a three point field goal at the 3:36 mark to give Augustana a 64-61 advantage. It would be a lead the Vikings never relinquished.
 
Illinois Wesleyan cut the advantage to two points on a single free throw by Kasey Reaber at 3:29 but senior Valerie VanRoeyen (Libertyville HS, Grayslake, Ill.) nailed a jumper at 3:20 to make it 66-62. Freshman Victoria Allen's (Eureka HS, Wildwood, Mo.) two free throws at 2:54 bumped the lead to six (68-62). Sophomore Olivia Mayer (Libertyville HS, Green Oaks, Ill.) converted on one of two free throws at 2:24 and junior Andrea McNally (Hinsdale South HS, Burr Ridge, Ill.) sank a pair of charity tosses at 1:56 to make it 71-62. That concluded a 10-1 run over a span of 2:15.
 
The Titans cut it to seven on five occasions and to six once but Augustana kept connecting at the free throw line. In the final 2:54 of the game the Vikings made 14 of 16 from the charity stripe to keep the Titans at bay. Head coach Mark Beinborn's team scored its last 14 points of the game from the free throw line and made its last seven in a row in the final 1:03.
 
There were seven lead changes and the game was tied five times in the first half, which ended with Mayer making three free throws with no time on the clock. She was fouled at half-court while attempting a last second heave toward the basket. That gave Augustana a 37-36 edge heading into the locker room. Neither team led by more than five points in the second half until the final four minutes when the Vikings pulled away.
 
Pezzopane had a monster game for Augustana as she led all scorers with 25 points and all rebounders with 15 caroms. She was also perfect on all six free throws. Mayer, Allen and VanRoeyen all scored 14 points and the Vikings held a 38-33 advantage in rebounds.
 
Augustana shot .455 (25-55) from the field for the game and were a sizzling .550 (11-20) from the floor in the second half. The Vikings also went 23 of 26 from the free throw line.
 
Illinois Wesleyan got 21 points from Reaber and 10 rebounds from Rebekah Ehresman.
 
Augustana is now 8-15 for the season overall and 2-10 in the CCIW while Illinois Wesleyan fell to 9-14 and 3-9.