BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Trinity women's basketball team fell to 0-2 today after a 63-73 loss to No. 10 Illinois Wesleyan University on the first day of the Champions Classic. After a rough start to the game, the Tigers fought back late before the Titans were able to close things out.
Lily Sauvageau (Houston, Texas / Second Baptist) led the Tigers in scoring with 15 points on 50% shooting (6-12).
Kylie Minter (League City, Texas / Clear Springs) also wound up in double-digit scoring figures with 11 points, also on 50% shooting (4-8).
Illinois Wesleyan was hot early, aided by the Tigers' poor start from the field. The score remained close throughout much of the first quarter until the Titans' shots really began to fall and turnovers began to add up for the Tigers. With 5:40 left in the first quarter, the Titans' advantage was a manageable five points. Illinois Wesleyan closed the quarter out on a 13-6 run, ending the first frame of play up 25-13.
The Tigers began to fight back in the second quarter thanks to a defensive effort that held the Titans to just 17% shooting (3-18). Despite bringing the game back within five with 5:14 left in the quarter, the Tigers were unable to fully capitalize on the Titans' poor shooting as they too struggled to put the ball in the hoop, shooting 33% (4-12). The half ended with Illinois Wesleyan up eight, 34-26.
Right out of the halftime break, the Tigers found a new fight. Just over a minute into the second half, five points by
Allison Even (Tucson, Ariz. / Salpointe Catholic) helped bring the Titan lead to just one, 33-34. The Titans responded with seven unanswered points, however, and Trinity was never able to overcome the deficit. Even with a new efficiency from the field, shooting 56% (10-18), the Titans brought their lead back to where it had been before the half, up 57-49 heading into the fourth.
The final period began with Illinois Wesleyan scoring eight unanswered points to push its lead to 16 points.
Maddie Mueller (Houston, Texas / Concordia Lutheran) answered with five straight Tiger points, followed by a fastbreak basket from Savageau to bring the lead back to nine at 65-56 with more than six minutes to go, but that was as close as Trinity would get the rest of the way.
Trinity will continue its part in the Champions Classic by taking on Millikin University (IL) at 12:00 p.m. tomorrow.
