JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College women's basketball team won its third straight game on Thursday night, taking out another one of the leaders in the Midwest Conference with a 72-62 victory over Knox College. The Lady Blues improve to 9-11 (5-8 MWC), while the Prairie Fire fall to 11-9 (8-5 MWC).
Knox's two leading scorers, Jarrelyn McCall and Karlie Thorn, were limited to a combined 18 points on the night for the Prairie Fire. Meanwhile, IC's
Brielle Greenleaf was on fire from the outset, scoring 18 points in the first half and 25 in the game to lead all scorers.
Sydney Lett banked in Illinois College's opening shot of the game and Greenleaf followed with a pair of free throws in the opening minute of the first quarter. That 4-0 lead held up the entire way and the Lady Blues never trailed in the contest.
A 12-0 run that bridged the first and second quarters extended Illinois College's lead to 29-15. Knox tried to close the gap and got as close as four before
Megan Price ended a Prairie Fire run with a wing jumper to make it 39-33. Neither team scored for the final two minutes of the half and IC went to the locker room with a six-point lead.
Over the first four minutes of the third quarter, a 10-0 run from Illinois College extended the margin to 49-33 and put the Lady Blues in full command. The lead was 14 entering the final quarter of play and Knox could never get any closer than seven. When the Prairie Fire did make a late push,
Grace Yaunches answered with a dagger three-pointer to seal it with just over two minutes remaining.
Three others besides Greenleaf for the Lady Blues scored in double-figures as Price chipped in 12,
Carly Cameron had 11 with a team-high seven rebounds, and Lett added 10 points with a game-high seven assists.
Illinois College will try to keep its winning streak intact this weekend when they venture up to St. Norbert College for a 1 p.m. meeting with the Green Knights on Feb. 2.
