Box Score

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Turnovers and the inability to prevent Illinois Wesleyan from controlling the offensive glass spelled defeat for Augustana on Wednesday, January 20 in the Carver Center. The visiting Titans took full advantage of both statistical categories en route to a 73-70 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin victory.
 
Although the final rebounding figures were close; a 38-36 edge for Illinois Wesleyan, the glaring number of 26 offensive rebounds for the Titans proved to be one huge factor in this game. The other was the fact that Augustana turned the ball over 26 times.
 
That helped offset a pretty good shooting night for head coach Mark Beinborn's club. The Vikings shot .538 (28-52) from the field and were a solid 14-18 from the free throw line.
 
Illinois Wesleyan led 20-14 at the end of the first quarter and 37-29 at halftime. In the third period, however, Augustana went on a 21-14 run and heading into the fourth trailed by just a single point (51-50). The Vikings took the lead early (9:48) in the quarter on a basket off an offensive rebound by freshman Carly McCameron (Antioch HS, Antioch, Ill.).
 
The Vikings got a defensive rebound on the next possession from freshman Izzy Anderson (Rock Island Alleman HS, Rock island, Ill.) but a turnover led to a basket by the Titans Gabby Weber at 9:29 to give the visitors the lead 53-52. Augustana would tie it at 53-53, 55-55 and 59-59 but were never able to regain the lead.
 
After the game was tied 59-59 following a basket by sophomore Victoria Allen (Eureka HS, Wildwood, Mo.) with 4:37 remaining, Illinois Wesleyan scored the next six points to take a 65-59 lead with 3:07 left. With just :55 left the deficit for the Vikings was eight (70-62). Junior Olivia Mayer (Libertyville HS, Green Oaks, Ill.) scored with :52 left to cut the lead to six (70-64) and an old-fashioned three point play from senior Marissa Pezzopane (Addison Trail HS, Wood Dale, Ill.) trimmed the margin to three (70-67) with :26 left.
 
Down the stretch the Titans made three free throws to keep the Vikings at bay with Anderson's basket at the buzzer accounting for the final score of 73-70.
 
Pezzopane led Augustana in scoring with 18 points and eight rebounds and she was joined in double figures by Anderson (12 points), McCameron (11) and Mayer (10). Freshman Kaycee Kallenberger (Pleasant Valley HS, Bettendorf, Iowa) shared rebounding honors with Pezzopane as she pulled down eight. She also had eight points and three blocked shots.
 
Illinois Wesleyan got 23 points from Molly McGraw and 12 out of Gabrielle Holness.
 
Augustana is now 7-10 overall and 2-4 in the CCIW and will host Millikin at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 23 in the Carver Center. Illinois Wesleyan moved to 10-7 overall and 5-1 in league play.