Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton women's basketball team defeated the Elmhurst Bluejays 79-67 on Wednesday evening in King Arena. Wheaton senior Annika Richardson scored a career-high 36 points to lead the effort tonight for the hosts. Wheaton improves to 11-9 with tonight's key CCIW win as the Thunder now own a 6-5 record in CCIW play.

Richardson's 36-point effort tonight topped her previous career-high of 33 points set against North Park on January 5, 2022, in her freshman season. Richardson posted a 72.2% (13-of-18) field goal percentage tonight including 55.6% (5-for-9) from three-point range. Richardson was more than just a point-scorer in the outing as she collected 12 rebounds to record a "double-double". She also tied for a game-high with three assists and snatched a team-high three steals.  

Kate Oliver (PICTURED LEFT) had a strong outing tonight with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Grace Kizer registered 11 points, making two three-pointers as she shot 50% (4-for-8) from the field. Kizer added five rebounds with two steals. Alyssa Faberowski contributed nine points with three assists. Petra Trumbach grabbed nine rebounds in 29 minutes off the Thunder bench.

The game started quickly in an up-tempo affair that saw Wheaton lead 22-21 at the end of the first quarter. Wheaton jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the game. Elmhurst responded with an 8-2 run to take a 12-11 lead with 5:13 remaining the first quarter. Richardson made a three-pointer with 3:07 left in the opening period to give Wheaton a four-point edge at 18-14. Oliver made a layup at the buzzer to give Wheaton the lead at 22-21 to end the quarter. Richardson led all players with 10 points in the opening quarter as she shot 3-for-4 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range.

The Bluejays had an impressive second quarter as they out-scored the Thunder 20-14 in the quarter. Elmhurst's largest lead of the game was an eight-point bulge at 30-22 with 5:25 remaining in the first half. The guests led by five points at halftime with a 41-36 advantage.

Richardson had 17 first-half points, on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Trumbach collected six of her nine rebounds in the second half. Sierra Gibson led the Bluejays with 16 points and Cierra Steemer collected eight rebounds.

Wheaton chipped away at the Elmhurst lead in the third quarter as the hosts out-scored the guests 15-11 in the period. The Bluejays led 49-45 with 4:55 left in the third quarter when Richardson made a three-pointer to trim the guests' lead to 49-48. She helped Wheaton regain the lead when she made a jumper with 3:40 left in the third quarter as the Thunder led 50-49 behind her basket. The remainder of the quarter was tightly contested as Elmhurst led 52-51 at the end of the period. Richardson scored 12 of Wheaton's 15 points in the third quarter as she single-handedly out-scored Elmhurst 12-11. Richardson shot 5-for-7 from the field, grabbing four rebounds.

Kizer made the first basket of the fourth quarter as her three-pointer gave Wheaton a 54-52 lead with 9:49 left in the game. Wheaton never trailed in the contest once Kizer gave her team the lead. Kizer's basket was the start of an 8-2 Thunder run as Wheaton's lead extended to five points at 59-54 with 7:35 left in the game. Wheaton led the Bluejays 71-65 with 43-seconds left in the contest when Faberowski made a pair of free throws to start an 8-2 Thunder run to close out the game as the hosts emerged with the 79-67 victory.

Wheaton dominated the fourth quarter, out-scoring the 'Jays 28-15. The hosts shot 11-of-14 at the free throw line in the quarter. Oliver led Wheaton in the fourth quarter with nine points. Richardson scored seven points with five rebounds. Kizer added six points for the hosts. Kristin Bukata scored five points in the final quarter for the guests.

Wheaton posted a 39.4% (26-of-66) field goal percentage, including 40% (8-of-20) from three-point range. The Bluejays shot 42.6% (26-for-61) from the field with a 12.5% (1-for-8) effort behind the three-point arc. The Thunder out-rebounded the Bluejays 42-38, including a 12-9 advantage on the offensive glass.

Gibson led Elmhurst with 18 points tonight, adding three steals. Steemer scored 14 points in 7-of-10 shooting from the floor, and she collected a team-high nine rebounds. Bukata scored 11 points with three assists. MC Brown added 10 points with six rebounds.   

Wheaton remains at home for a key CCIW contest against second-place Carroll (14-6, 9-2 CCIW) on Saturday. The contest between the Thunder and Pioneers tips off at 5:00 p.m. in King Arena.

NoteWorthy: Richardson's 36-point effort tonight is the most by a Wheaton player since Annie Tate scored 39-points against North Park on February 17, 2024…Richardson's tally tonight is the most points by a CCIW player this season…her 13 field goals in the win is tied for the most in a CCIW game this season, tying the 13 baskets made by Bukata in Elmhurst's win against Millikin on January 18….Richardson's double-double tonight is her fifth of the season and the 10^th time she has tallied double digits in both points and rebounds in a game in her four-year career.