Zoie Wall’s career-high 18 points lead Monmouth
The Monmouth College women’s basketball team used a 15-4 run to end the game and beat Illinois College 72-64 at home on Wednesday. The win gives the Scots (6-2, 3-0) a program-record 13 straight wins at home as they head into the holiday break atop the Midwest Conference.
Monmouth got off to a quick start as Kaitlyn Osmulski (Peoria, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer and Jordan Kintigh (Goshen, Indiana) made a jumper in the lane. A 3-pointer from Josie Morgan (Washington, Illinois) on an in-bounds play put the Scots on top 12-4.
The Lady Blues scored the next eight points to tie the game as Monmouth had nine consecutive empty possessions. Lily Harlan (Washington, Illinois) ended both of those streaks with a wing 3-pointer to give Monmouth a 15-12 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Scots extended the lead to 20-16 on a made 3-pointer by Jadyn Mitchell (Flanagan, Illinois). The Lady Blues went on an 8-1 run to lead 24-21 before Harlan scored. Morgan’s put back with 2:50 to go in the half to put the Scots back on top by one.
The teams traded baskets in the closing minutes of the half and IC took a 28-27 lead into the locker room. Kintigh led the Scots in the half with seven points and four rebounds while Morgan and Harlan had five points each.
Tarae Warner (Burlington, Iowa) and Zoie Wall (Peoria, Illinois) each made a 3-pointer early in the third quarter as the Scots used a 6-0 run for a 33-28 lead. The visitors answered with their own 6-0 run on three straight possessions to regain the lead.
Wall scored four straight points for the Scots who trailed 41-40 until Osmulski buried a wing 3-pointer. The teams traded baskets as Morgan put Monmouth on top 45-43 with 3:40 to play in the quarter. Wall made another 3-pointer for a 50-47 Scots lead but IC scored five straight before Warner’s layup tied the game. The Lady Blues got a banked-in 3-pointer from Anna McKee at the end of the quarter for a 55-52 lead
With the Scots down 57-52 early in the fourth, Wall made another 3-pointer, her third of the game. Morgan buried a wing 3-pointer with just over seven minutes to play to tie the game at 60. Morgan made a free throw for the lead and Mitchell hit a layup to put Monmouth on top 63-60.
After a turnover the Scots went on top 66-60 as Osmulski made a 3-pointer from the wing. The teams traded turnovers and with 3:17 to play Wall split free throws for a seven point lead. The Lady Blues scored the next four points and Monmouth turned it over with 1:07 to play, up 67-64.
The Scots forced a miss with under a minute to play and IC fouled Harlan with 34.9 seconds left. Harlan made both free throws for a 69-64 Scots lead and IC called timeout. Osmulski blocked a 3-point attempt by Kendra Bass and after a timeout, Morgan made both free throws for a 71-64 lead. IC missed three shots on the next possession and Harlan finished the scoring with a free throw as the Scots won 72-64.
Wall led the wall with 18 points, going 3-for-6 from deep, while adding eight rebounds and four assists. Morgan scored 13 points and grabbed six boards while Osmulski went 4-for-6 from deep for 12 points, six rebounds and four assists. Kintigh scored nine points with seven rebounds while Harlan added eight points and four boards.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots are 5-0 at home this season and have won a program-record 13 in a row at Glennie Gym dating back to a 76-64 loss to IC on Dec. 4, 2019The previous record of 12 was set from Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019Morgan has made at least one 3-pointer in every game this season and at least two from deep in five straight games…She’s scored in double figures seven times this season…Wall scored 10 points in the third quarter alone…Her previous career high in a game was 10, against Cornell on Feb. 5, 2020 and her season high was nine against Beloit on Saturday…She has made three 3-pointers in each of the last two games, a career high…Osmulski tied a career-high with four made 3-pointers…All seven Scots who played scored at least five points Monmouth was 12-of-24 from 3-point range and they’ve made 12 3-pointers in two straight games, a season high Osmulski had two blocks The Scots are off until traveling to play Augustana on Dec. 30The next home game is against Grinnell on Jan. 12.
***Report Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
