JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Illinois College used a dominant second quarter and a strong defensive finish to earn a 61-50 victory over Cornell College on Tuesday night in a Midwest Conference matchup at Sherman Gymnasium.
With the win, the Lady Blues improve to 11-13 overall and 7-8 in conference play, while Cornell falls to 14-9 and 8-7 in the MWC.
Cornell came out sharp, building a 17-8 lead after the first quarter, but the Lady Blues responded in a big way in the second period, shooting 75 percent from the field and knocking down five three-pointers to outscore the Rams 26-14. A late triple by Raegen Stringer gave Illinois College a 34-31 halftime advantage.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the third quarter, featuring four ties and multiple lead changes. IC took a slim 43-39 edge into the final frame after holding Cornell to 13 points in the period.
In the fourth, the Lady Blues shut down Cornell, limiting the Rams to just six points and forcing key turnovers down the stretch. Illinois College converted 11 free throws in the quarter to seal the 11-point win.
Cora DeSutter led the way with 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for a double-double. Jayln Patterson finished with 14 points, five rebounds, two blocks, and two steals, while Raegen Stringer added eight points. McKenna Christiansen chipped in eight points off the bench, and the Lady Blues bench contributed 21 points overall.
Illinois College forced 24 Cornell turnovers and turned them into 21 points. The Lady Blues also held a 36-34 edge on the boards and scored 21 second-chance points.
IC shot 33.3 percent from the floor and 25.7 percent from three-point range, while Cornell finished at 39.2 percent overall and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Up Next
The Lady Blues close the 2025–26 season Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at Sherman Gymnasium against Monmouth College, with Senior Day on the Hilltop.
