GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Maris Hovee (LEFT) grabbed 14 rebounds with 12 points and Ellie Zeller (RIGHT) tallied a team-high 15 points

Rock Island, Ill. - The Wheaton Thunder women's basketball team earned a conference win at Augustana on Saturday night with a 68-63 victory against the Vikings (5-15/1-8 CCIW). Wheaton, now 15-4 overall and 6-3 in the in the CCIW, will travel to Carthage on Wednesday night for a 7 PM tipoff with the #10-ranked Lady Reds.

Ellie Zeller led the Thunder with 15 points. Senior center Maris Hovee scored 12 points, with 14 rebounds for her fifth "double-double" of the season. Freshman Katie McDaniels (PICTURED LFT) scored 12 points, with six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Chantal Meacham and Lauren Graham each added eight points off the Thunder bench.

Wheaton shot 39.7% (27-68) from the field, with 20% (1-5) from three-point range and 65% (13-20) at the free throw line. The Thunder out-rebounded the Vikings 43-36. Wheaton recorded an 18-7 edge on the offensive glass paced by Hovee's seven offensive boards, helping Wheaton to a 15-6 advantage in second-chance points.

Augustana recorded a 41.5% (22-53) field goal percentage, including 57.1% (4-7) from three-point range and 93.8% (15-16) at the charity stripe. Augustana committed 17 turnovers, lead to a 15-6 edge for the Thunder in second-chance points.

Chaney Tambling scored 19 points for the Vikings with five rebounds. Molly Etheridge scored nine points for the hosts. Olivia Mayer and Amy Hicks each grabbed six rebounds for Augustana.

Augustana led the Thunder 22-18 with 6:35 remaining in the first half and Wheaton trimmed the Vikings' lead to 24-23 with 2:55 remaining before halftime. Wheaton closed out the first half with an 8-3 scoring run that allowed the Thunder to hold a 31-27 lead at halftime intermission.

Wheaton led the Vikings throughout the entire second half. The closest Augustana came to the Thunder was a four-point Wheaton lead on several occasions, the final time coming in a 53-49 lead for the guests with 8:05 left in regulation. At that time the Thunder scored seven consecutive points to take a 60-49 lead with 5:00 left in the game. The 11-point advantage was Wheaton's largest lead of the game.