Women's Basketball 3/2/2021 2:59:00 PM Bryan Marshall, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

Millikin to Face North Central in CCIW Women's Basketball Tournament

Millikin Big Blue (8-3)
Vs.
North Central College (2-10)
March 4, 2021 at 7 p.m. at Griswold Center in Decatur, Illinois
CCIW Tournament Quarterfinals

GAME NOTES
            After finishing the regular season with an 8-3 record, the Millikin women's basketball team earned the two seed in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Women's Basketball Tournament. However, CO-VID 19 protocols have forced the top seed, Wheaton College, to withdraw from the tournament giving Millikin the number one seed. The Big Blue will now face North Central College on Thursday night at the Griswold Center. As the top seed, Millikin would be the host for March 6 semifinal and the March 9 final game if they keep winning.
          Millikin closed out the regular season with a 76-53 win over Augustana College on February 23. Millikin's pressure defense was the story of the game forcing Augustana into 28 turnovers. The Big Blue scored 29 points from turnovers and had 18 fast break points. Millikin had 18 steals and five blocks. Millikin lead 18-10 after one quarter of play and 40-26 at halftime. The Big Blue shot 29-68 (43 percent) from the field including making 10-32 (31 percent) from three-point range. Elyce Knudsen led Millikin with 21 points, four rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocked shots. Bailey Coffman had 14 points, four rebounds and three steals. Miranda Fox scored 13 points with three steals and Jazmin Brown added 12 points and two steals.
          North Central is 2-10 on the season, but saved its best performance for the CCIW's top teams knocking off Millikin 68-55 and Illinois Wesleyan 66-62. The Big Blue and Cardinals split its games in the regular season with Millikin winning at home 74-62. The back-to-back Millikin vs. North Central games, happened during the Big Blue's stretch where they had trouble shooting the basketball hitting less than 36 percent from the field in both games. Since that stretch, Millikin has found its offensive rhythm fueled by strong pressure defense that has given the Big Blue fast break opportunities on the offensive end of the court.
          Knudsen led Millikin in scoring in both games against North Central scoring 22 and 15 points. Haydn Braun and Rebekah Foley provided most of the Cardinal offense in their victory with Braun scoring 20 followed by Foley with 19 points.
          North Central closed out its season with a pair of losses to Wheaton College. In both games, the Cardinals stayed close for three quarters, before Wheaton pulled away in the fourth quarter. The Thunder won Saturday's season finale 73-58. Three Cardinals finished in double figures, led by 13 points from each of Allison Pearson and Mitrese Smith, while IxChel Leeuwenburgh added 11 points and a team-leading six rebounds.

CCIW WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS
All games on Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m.
#8 North Central @ #1 Millikin
#7 Carthage @ #2 North Park
#6 Elmhurst @ #3 Illinois Wesleyan
#5 Augustana @ #4 Carroll

FINAL CCIW STANDINGS
Team                          Record
Wheaton                  11-1
Millikin                     8-3
North Park                8-4
Illinois Wesleyan        4-3
Carroll                     6-5
Augustana                4-5
Elmhurst                  3-9
Carthage                  3-9
North Central            2-10

THE SERIES: MILLIKIN VS. NORTH CENTRAL
Millikin leads the series 51-24 with the teams splitting the matchups earlier this season.

PROBABLE MILLIKIN STARTING LINE-UP
3       Miranda Fox*                  G       5-6    So.   Altamont, Ill./Effingham
5       Jazmin Brown**              G       5-4    Jr.    Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North
22     Elyce Knudsen                 G       5-8    Fr.    Philo, Ill./Tolono Unity
23     Jordan Hildebrand***       F/C     6-0    Sr.    Mendon, Ill./Mendon Unity
45     Aubrey Staton**              G/F    5-10 Jr.    El Paso, Ill./El Paso Gridley

PROBABLE NORTH CENTRAL STARTING LINE-UP
4        Haydn Braun             G        5-6      Sr.      Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern
13       Megan McClure         G        5-9      Fr.       Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin
14       Rebekah Foley          G/F     5-10    Sr.      Waukegan, Ill./Warren Township
20       Mitrese Smith            F         6-0      Jr.       Kewanee, Ill./Kewanee
24       Allison Pearson          G        5-7      Jr.       Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West

SCORING AND REBOUNDING LEADERS
Millikin:
Scoring:
Elyce Knudsen—16.9 PPG
Jordan Hildebrand—11.5 PPG

Rebounding:
Jordan Hildebrand—6.1 RPG
Elyce Knudsen—4.8 RPG

North Central:
Scoring:
Allison Pearson—10.7 PPG
Haydn Braun—10.0 PPG

Rebounding:
IxChel Leeuwenburgh—8-5 RPG
Mitrese Smith—5.0 RPG

BROADCAST AND INTERNET INFORMATION
The North Central at Millikin game can be heard live on Fox Sports 1050AM in the greater Decatur area and online at www.nowdecatur.com. Millikin will provide live coverage at the links below.
Live Stats: https://athletics.millikin.edu/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Live Video: athletics.millikin.edu/watch

2020-21 MILLIKIN SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
DATE                          OPPONENT                           Location                    Time/Results
Jan. 23                    Carthage College                 Decatur, Ill.              W 77-66
Jan. 25                    Carthage College                 Kenosha, Wis.           Postponed
Jan. 28                    Wheaton College                 Wheaton, Ill.             L 90-83
Jan. 30                    Wheaton College                 Decatur, Ill.              W 85-60
Feb. 4                      Augustana College               Decatur, Ill.              Postponed
Feb. 4                      Illinois Wesleyan                  Bloomington, Ill.        W 90-82
Feb. 6                      Augustana College               Rock Island, Ill.         Postponed
Feb. 6                      Carthage College                 Kenosha, Wis.           W 73-51
Feb. 9                      Illinois Wesleyan                  Decatur, Ill.              L 81-72 OT
Feb. 11                    North Central College           Decatur, Ill.              W 74-62
Feb. 13                    North Central College           Naperville, Ill.            L 68-55
Feb. 18                    Elmhurst University              Elmhurst, Ill.             W 81-55
Feb. 20                    Elmhurst University              Decatur, Ill.              W 70-59
Feb. 23                    Augustana College               Decatur, Ill.              W 76-53
CCIW Tournament:
March 4                   North Central                     Decatur, Ill.              7 p.m.
March 6                   CCIW Semifinal                    Decatur, Ill.              TBA
March 9                   CCIW Final                          Decatur, Ill.              TBA

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Players Mentioned

#5 Jazmin Brown: G; 5' 4"; Junior

#32 Bailey Coffman: F; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#3 Miranda Fox: G; 5' 6"; Sophomore

#23 Jordan Hildebrand: F/C; 6' 0"; Senior

#45 Aubrey Staton: G/F; 5' 10"; Junior

#22 Elyce Knudsen: G; 5' 8"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#5 Jazmin Brown
: 5' 4"; Junior
: G

#32 Bailey Coffman
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: F

#3 Miranda Fox
: 5' 6"; Sophomore
: G

#23 Jordan Hildebrand
: 6' 0"; Senior
: F/C

#45 Aubrey Staton
: 5' 10"; Junior
: G/F

#22 Elyce Knudsen
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: G