PICTURED ABOVE: Kelly Thornton led Wheaton with a career-high 22 points on Saturday.
Waukesha, Wis. – The Thunder women's basketball team earned a convincing 102-37 victory at Carroll University on Saturday afternoon in CCIW action. Wheaton improves to 20-4 overall and 13-2 in CCIW play. Wheaton will host Illinois Wesleyan (17-7, 12-3 CCIW) on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. in a matchup with CCIW Championship implications.
A victory by Wheaton on Tuesday gives the Thunder outright possession of the CCIW Championship and the top seed in next week's CCIW Women's Basketball Tournament. An Illinois Wesleyan victory creates a tie between Wheaton and the Titans for the CCIW Championship and IWU serves as the host and top seed of the CCIW Tournament.
Thunder senior
Katie McDaniels (PICTURED LEFT) achieved another milestone in today's victory. McDaniels made a pair of free throws with 6:39 remaining in the third quarter to give her 305 career free throws in her 57 CCIW games over the past four years. McDaniels' mark surpasses the previous CCIW record (conference games only) of 303 career free throws by Millikin's Lindsay Ippel (2004-08).
Wheaton scored the game's first seven points tonight and never trailed in the matchup. The Thunder led 23-7 at the end of the first quarter and the guests held a 50-22 lead at the halftime intermission.
Sophomore
Kelly Thornton scored a career-high 22 points in 14 minutes of action. Thornton was 8-of-11 from the field, including 5-of-8 behind the three-point line. Thornton led Wheaton's six players that scored in double digits today.
McDaniels scored 13 points with 10 assists and six rebounds.
Chantal Meacham and
Maggie Dansdill each scored 12 points for the guests.
Jill Berg tallied 11 points and nine rebounds off the Thunder bench.
Ellie Zeller contributed 10 points with four rebounds.
Devin Kyler grabbed seven rebounds and
Jordan Myroth collected six boards.
Wheaton tied its season high with a 60.6% (40-of-66) field goal percentage. The Thunder posted a 54.5% (12-of-22) effort from three-point range. Carroll shot 23.5% (12-of-51) from the field, including 25% (4-of-16) behind the three-point arc. Wheaton shot 76.9% (12-of-22) at the free throw line and the Pioneers had a 47.4% (9-of-19) effort at the charity stripe. Wheaton out-rebounded the hosts 53-19, including a 16-8 edge on the offensive glass.
Morgan Lund led Carroll with 11 points and three assists. Brittney Wald scored 10 points for the hosts. Caylee Koker scored nine points with seven rebounds.
