Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Brielle Greenleaf scored a career-high 30 points, but it wasn't enough as Illinois College fell to Millikin University, 85-67, on Saturday afternoon. IC falls to 3-8 on the year. Millikin improves to 5-6.
The scoring started quickly for Illinois College, with
Sydney Lett finding
Shannen Quehl for a layup only eight seconds into the game. Following another Quehl bucket, Millikin countered with a three-pointer from Yanni Saddler, putting the game at 4-3 in favor of IC. Greenleaf then sank a layup to push the lead to 6-3. However, Devin Curry would hit back-to-back three-pointers for the Big Blue to push Millikin ahead, 9-6, with just over seven minutes remaining in the quarter.
McKenzie Skaggs drove for a layup and also hit the and-one free throw to tie the game at 9-9. Curry hit her third three of the quarter to propel MU ahead once more, 12-9, a lead which it would not surrender from that point on. Cassie Somers hit a fast-break triple to give the Big Blue their largest lead of the quarter, 24-15, with one-and-a-half minutes remaining. Greenleaf hit one more three-pointer to end the quarter with Millikin leading, 24-18.
The second quarter proved to be the downfall for Illinois College, as the Lady Blues were outscored 23-9 in the frame. Skaggs scored off a steal to pull IC within four, 24-20, to start the quarter. It was all Millikin from there. Saddler hit a three-pointer that kick-started a 10-0 run for the Big Blue, which was capped off by a layup from Jordan Hildebrand. MU held a 34-20 advantage with seven minutes left following the run. Lett broke the drought by hitting two free throws, bringing the game to 34-22. After a Curry jumper and two more Lett free throws left the score at 36-24, Millikin went on an 11-3 run to end the quarter. Curry's jumper with 49 ticks left in the quarter put MU up by 20 points, 47-27, which would stand as the teams headed into the halftime break. Greenleaf finished the half with 14 points for the Lady Blues, who shot a dismal 14 percent in the second quarter. Curry posted 16 points through the first two quarters.
Curry extended Millikin's lead to 22 points, 49-27, to open up the second half. Quehl put Illinois College on the board with a layup after one minute passed in the third. Haley Toohill would push the Big Blue's lead to its largest of the game so far, 55-32, after hitting a deep three-pointer. Shannon Propst would cut the deficit down to 16 points for IC, hitting a jumper with just over a minute left in the quarter. With Millikin's lead at 62-46. Emily Schultz scored the final two baskets of the quarter, following great transition offense that allowed her to break past defenders to hit both layups. After the horn sounded, MU led IC, 66-46, with one more quarter to play.
The final ten minutes was all about preservation for Millikin. Saddler hit a free throw to start off the scoring, seeing MU take a 67-46 lead. Greenleaf dragged the deficit down to 18 points, 67-49, after surviving contact to hit a layup and convert the free throw. Nearly every IC basket was countered by one from the Big Blue. The lead for Millikin never sank below 16 points, as the team easily cruised to the 85-67 victory. Quehl followed Greenleaf's career day with 15 points of her own, as well as two blocks. Curry finished with 28 for the Big Blue. Schultz tallied 17 points, and Saddler added 12 to the effort.
The Lady Blues take the court again on Jan 3, when Cornell College visits for Midwest Conference action. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m.
