Ripon, Wis. -- The opponent, the state, and the time zone all changed between the Wheaton women's basketball team's last game and tonight's non-conference test, but the end result was the same. After a competitive opening three quarters, the Thunder pulled away from the Ripon College Red Hawks on Tuesday evening to earn their fifth-straight win to begin the 2023-24 season. Three different Wheaton players tallied 17 points, and Caroline Sikkink logged another double-double to steer the visitors to victory.

The box score from tonight's game shows an evenly-matched affair, with the two teams making the same number of shots and posting similar returns in various statistical categories. Wheaton finished the contest with a more accurate 42% field goal percentage and held their hosts to just 33% from the floor, although the two sides each made 21 field goals through four quarters. Both sides also struggled from three-point range, making only three triples on the night. Ripon out-rebounded Wheaton, but the Thunder won the turnover battle, 18-15. Both squads tallied seven second chance points, and the Red Hawks earned a higher number of points in the paint, while Wheaton enjoyed edges in fast break baskets, points off of turnovers, and points from the bench. But the single biggest disparity that helped account for the final score came at the free throw line. The Thunder drained an impressive 21 foul shots and went 84% from the line, whereas Ripon only attempted 13 free throws and missed three of their tries, leading to an 11-point deficit on the scoreboard.

Sikkink joined Annika Richardson and Annie Tate on a joint game-high 17 points, as the upperclassmen trio helped lead Wheaton to a second road win of the year. The former posted her second double-double of the campaign by collecting a game-leading 11 rebounds and also led all players with a noteworthy six steals. Richardson grabbed seven boards and joined Kate Oliver on a game-high three blocks. Tate registered five rebounds and a pair of assists, with Lily Schwen tallying the most assists in tonight's game with four to her name. Oliver contributed 12 points and seven rebounds while stealing the ball twice in an impressive all-around performance.

The Thunder got off to a slow start in this evening's matchup, posting a meager 25% shooting tally in the opening quarter and needing to score six of the last eight points in the period to trim down a 14-8 deficit. Ripon opened up their largest lead of the night at 22-14 with a 6-0 run to begin the second quarter, but baskets by Richardson and Tate kept Wheaton within striking distance. A three-pointer from Sikkink and a layup + free-throw combo from Oliver in the final minute of the half allowed the Thunder to tie the game at 26-26 heading into the break.

Wheaton shot over 50% from the floor and made 12 of its 13 foul shots in the second half to complete the turnaround and wear down their Wisconsin hosts. A jump shot by Tate gave the guests their first lead of the game at 30-28 90 seconds into the third quarter, and after a tough response by the Red Hawks, the senior guard stepped up again with a buzzer-beating layup at the end of the period to nudge Wheaton back in front at 45-44. Ripon got on the board first in the final frame with a three-ball, but the home side's last lead of the night came with eight minutes remaining. With the score knotted up at 55-55 with two minutes left to play but the Red Hawk offense running out of gas, a fast break layup from Sikkink put the Thunder ahead, and a three-pointer by Richardson gave Wheaton a two-score lead in the final 90 seconds. The Thunder put in a lockdown defensive showing down the stretch, forcing Ripon to miss their last five attempts of the game. Composure was then the name of the game for Wheaton, as six made free-throws by Richardson and Tate in the final minute of play helped seal a hard-fought victory away from home.

Having secured a perfect start to this year's schedule in non-conference play, the Wheaton women will step away from the court for a week before beginning their conference slate next Wednesday night. The Thunder head back to Wisconsin to take on the Carthage Firebirds in a 7 PM CCIW opener.