Lady Blues Basketball Fall To Ripon In MWC Decision

RIPON, Wis. - The Illinois College women's basketball team continued Midwest Conference play with a visit to Ripon College Saturday afternoon. The Lady Blues fell to the Redhawks by the final score of 51-71. IC now stands at 3-5 overall and 0-2 in the MWC.

The Lady Blues got off to a slow start and trailed the Redhawks 4-13 midway through the first quarter. IC's Sarra Faust stopped the Ripon run with a fanstatic layup. However, the Redhawks (2-5, 1-0 MWC) responded with a 10-0 run that was eventually stopped by Ashlyn Wightman by converting a conventional three-point play. Ripon took the 7-23 advantage after the first quarter. 

In the second quarter, each team exchanged baskets as Anna McKee added a layup that made the score 10-28. However, the Lady Blues closed out the first half on a 7-2 run that included baskets from Wightman, McKee, and Faust. The Redhawks took the 19-36 advantage at the half.

Both teams came out in the second half exchanging baskets when Gracie Kizer's three-point basket made the score 28-44. Ripon responded with a 7-0 run that was stopped by Jayln Patterson with a successful lay-in. That basket by Patterson started a 7-3 Lady Blue run where Wightman scored the final four points for IC in the quarter. Ripon took the 35-54 advantage heading into the final quarter.

The battle of exchanging baskets continued until Ripon increased the deficit back to 17 at 40-57 with a free-throw. With just over six minutes remaining in the contest, IC's Patterson started a 5-0 run with a lay-in while McKee and Bass added the other three points from the free-throw line. Shortly later, Faust cut the deficit back down to 12 with a successful jump shot. Just over a minute later from the Faust basket, Maya Smith drained a deep three-point basket that created the score 50-62. However, Ripon closed out the game on 9-1 run that generated the final score.  

For the game, IC was led in scoring by Wightman with 11 points while McKee added eight. Wightman, Bass, Faust, and Madison Webb each hauled down four rebounds. 

The Lady Blues will close out their six-game road stand visiting Monmouth College on Wednesday, December 6 with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 PM in Monmouth, Illinois.