PICTURED ABOVE: Katie McDaniels and Ellie Zeller led the Thunder with 18 and 17 points respectively in Wheaton's 65-62 win at Augustana on Saturday night..

Rock Island, Ill. – The Thunder women's basketball team earned a 65-62 victory at Augustana on Saturday night. Wheaton survived a late second-half run by the hosts to improve to 14-2 on the season and 4-1 in CCIW play. The Vikings fall to 7-9 overall and 1-4 in conference play.

The Thunder led 23-22 wtih 7:05 remaining in the first half when a three-pointer by Thunder freshman Mel Bremhorst sparked a 14-5 scoring run for the guests to close out the first half. Wheaton led 37-27 at halftime.

Wheaton held an eight-point lead at 56-48 when Augustana's Valerie VanRoeyen made the three-pointer to trim Wheaton's lead to just five points; and the trifecta ignited a 10-1 scoring run for the hosts to give the Vikings a 58-57 lead with 5:35 left in regulation. Wheaton's Moriah Reeves scored a basket to give the Thunder a 59-58 lead with 5:39 left in regulation, but a pair of free throws by Augustana's Victoria Allen gave the hosts a 60-59 edge with 2:40 remaining in the game.

A series of turnovers by both teams occurred until Thunder sophomore Katie McDaniels drove to the basket for for a layup that gave the guests a 61-60 lead with 45-seconds left in regulation. An Augustana basket gave the Vikings a 62-61 lead with 18-seconds left in regulation, but Thunder junior Ellie Zeller responded with two free throws to give Wheaton a 63-62 lead with 16-seconds left in the second half. McDaniels followed with a pair of free throws to increase Wheaton's lead to 65-62 with 14-seconds remaining in the game. Augustana was unable to convert on multiple three-point attempts in the final six seconds of the game as Wheaton held on for the win.

The backcourt duo of McDaniels and Zeller led the Thunder offensively with 18 points and 17 points respectively. Zeller contributed six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Hannah Considine (PICTURED LEFT) scored 10 points for the Thunder with six rebounds.Bremhorst scored nine points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field. 
 
Wheaton shot 38.6% (22-of-57) from the field, with a a 20% (3-for-15) clip from the three-point line. The Thunder were a solid 18-for-23 (78.3%) from the free throw line. Augustana shot 44.4% (20-for-45) from the field and hit six of its 12 three-point attempts as well as all 16 attempts from the free throw line. The Vikings outrebounded Wheaton 36-28 on the evening with Wheaton holding a 14-11 edge on the offensive glass.

Marissa Pezzopane led the Vikings with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds. Andrea McNally scored 13 points with eight rebounds and VanRoeyen contributed 10 points with five rebounds.