JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Illinois College women's basketball team trailed after one quarter, but dominated play in the second quarter, limiting Cornell College to only five points to take a 33-18 lead at the break. The Rams continued to struggle in the second half and the Lady Blues cruised to a 74-47 win on Saturday in Sherman Gymnasium. The victory was the fourth in a row for IC, improving to 6-3 (2-0 Midwest Conference). The Rams fall to 3-3 (1-1 MWC).
Cornell led almost the whole way in the first quarter, going up by as many as five points before a late
Grace Yaunches jumper made it 13-10 after 10 minutes of play.
The final Cornell basket of the first quarter came with one minute left in the period and more than seven full minutes would tick off the clock in the second quarter before the Rams were able to score. By that time, Illinois College had taken a 24-16 lead and would extend it to 33-18 at the break.
Two free throws in the opening minute for the Rams brought it to within 13, but
Megan Price and
Krista Bass opened the lead up to more than 20 points. The Lady Blues doubled the Rams up at 53-26 on a
Junie Zirkelbach jumper in the middle of the third. In the fourth quarter, Illinois College's lead reached 30 points and there was no doubt the rest of the way.
Price scored a game-high 14 points for the Lady Blues. Bass, Yaunches, and
Lilly Pepper all had 11 points, with Pepper adding a game-high nine rebounds. No Cornell player scored more than seven points on the afternoon.
Illinois College now begins a long lay-off through the month of December. The Lady Blues will next be in action at home on January 3, facing Lawrence University at 7:30 p.m.
