The Monmouth College women’s basketball team got off to a slow start and never caught up in a 61-49 loss at Illinois College on Wednesday night. The Scots are now 5-4 overall, 1-2 in MWC play as they head into their finals break.
Illinois College got off to a hot start as they built a 4-0 and 11-2 lead. Jadyn Mitchell (Flanagan, Illinois) got the Scots first field goal of the game when she made a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 11-5 with 3:51 to play in the opening quarter. The Lady Blues scored the final six points of the quarter to lead 17-5.
Illinois College pushed the lead to 26-5 with the first nine points of the second quarter and an overall 15-0 run. Tarae Warner (Burlington, Iowa) split free throws to end the run but IC responded with five more points for a 31-6 lead. The Scots got free throws from Zoie Wall (Bartonville, Illinois), one from Madison Heisch (Illinois City, Illinois) and four more from Warner for a 7-0 run. With the Scots down 35-13, Mitchell made a layup for the second field goal of the half and IC took a 41-15 lead into the locker room.
Mitchell scored early in the third quarter and Warner knocked down two more free throws. Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois) made a basket and Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer as the Scots went on a 9-2 run. The Lady Blues pushed the lead back over 20 with a bucket and took a 49-26 lead into the final quarter.
The Scots started the fourth quarter on a run as Lily Harlan (Washington, Illinois) made a basket and Wall hit a 3-pointer. Warner’s layup cut the lead to 16 before the teams traded baskets. Down 18 with 3:01 to play, Harlan scored and Mitchell made a 3-pointer. After IC scored, Harlan made another basket and Jones made a 3-pointer with 11 seconds for the final score of the game.
Warner led the Scots with 13 points, nine coming from the free-throw line. Mitchell had 12 points with two made 3-pointers on the night. Harlan led the team with eight rebounds while Wall had four assists and Warner piled up five steals.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots swept IC last year winning both games by eight points. Monmouth is 8-2 in their last 10 against IC and had won five straight in Jacksonville dating back to a loss on Feb. 17, 2016. The Scots were 2-for-27 from the field in the first half. Mitchell made two 3-pointers and is 15-for-24 in the last seven games from deep. Warner has at least 11 points in every game this season and leads the team with 20 steals. The Scots have eight days off for finals before traveling to St. Louis on Friday, Dec. 16 for a 5 p.m. game against Webster.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
