Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton women's basketball team, ranked 14^th in the most recent D3hoops.com Top-15 poll, earned a 68-57 victory at home tonight against Carroll University. The Thunder improve to 8-1 (8-1 CCIW) on the season as the "Orange and Blue" earned their sixth-consecutive victory. Carroll is now 4-3 (4-3 CCIW) on the season.

Sophomore Annie Tate scored 21 points with eight rebounds, both totals were game highs tonight. Tate added three assists with a blocked shot. Senior Hannah Williams (PICTURED LEFT) had a strong performance tonight with 19 points and seven rebounds. She added two assists, one steal and a blocked shot. Ellie Cassel scored 12 points with five rebounds and five assists off the Thunder bench. Cassel shot 5-of-7 from the field tonight. Hannah Swider scored seven points and Lily Schwen tallied six points with two assists and three steals.

The Thunder shot 44.8% (25-of-58) from the field tonight, including 26.3% (5-of-19) from three-point range. Carroll posted a 40% (20-of-50) field goal percentage, with 45.5% (10-for-22) behind the three-point arc. Wheaton shot 84.6% (11-of-13) at the free throw line and the Pioneers shot 70% (7-for-10) at the charity stripe. Wheaton held a 32-31 rebounding advantage, including a 9-8 edge on the offensive glass. Wheaton was effective near the basket tonight out-scoring the guests 38-20 in the paint.

Carroll scored 15-consecutive points over the first 5:40 to open the game. Cassel scored Wheaton's first basket at the 4:17 mark of the first quarter. The impressive opening period for the guests allowed Carroll to lead the Thunder 23-8 at the end of the first quarter. Carroll shot 61.5% (8-of-13) from the field in the first quarter, including 55.6% (5-of-9) from three-point range.
Wheaton responded in the second quarter. The Thunder out-scored Carroll 22-8 in the second period as the Pioneers held a narrow 31-30 lead at halftime. Tate scored 10 points with four rebounds in the quarter. She played all 10 minutes, shooting 4-of-5 from the field with a pair of free throws.

Carroll made the first basket of the third quarter and then Wheaton responded with seven-consecutive points to take a 37-33 lead with 7:35 left in the third quarter. Wheaton's 7-0 run was capped by a Lily Schwen layup. Carroll the scored seven unanswered points to take a 40-37 lead with 5:30 remaining in the third period. The two teams traded leads for the rest of the third quarter and went into the final quarter tied at 50-50.

The Thunder scored the first six points of the fourth quarter behind field goals from Williams, Tate and Swider to take a 56-50 lead with 6:20 left in the game. Wheaton led by seven at 61-54 with 2:35 remaining in the game when Williams made a three-pointer. Carroll turned the ball over on its next possession to give Wheaton the ball and Williams drove to the basket for a layup to extend Wheaton's advantage to 12 points at 66-54 with 1:38 remaining in the game. Wheaton out-scored the Pioneers 18-7 in the decisive fourth quarter led by seven points, three rebounds and two assists from Williams. Tate scored six points in the fourth quarter as she and Williams combined for 13 of Wheaton's 18 points in the final quarter.

Theresa Wichser scored 12 points for Carroll as she shot 4-of-6 from three-point range. Kayla Stefka scored 10 points for the guests. Kate Christian and Katie Evans each scored eight points for the Pioneers. Christian had a team-high six rebounds for the guests.

The two teams will face off again on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at Carroll's Van Male Fieldhouse in Waukesha, Wisconsin.