STAT REPORT
The latest CCIW women’s basketball statistics report through Thursday, Feb. 13 can be viewed at this link.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE (All times Central)
Saturday, Feb. 15
2:00 p.m. | Millikin at #4/#5 Illinois Wesleyan
2:00 p.m. | Augustana at (RV) Carroll
2:00 p.m. | Wheaton at Carthage
2:00 p.m. | Elmhurst at North Park
 
Wednesday, Feb. 19
7:00 p.m. | #4/#5 Illinois Wesleyan at North Central
7:00 p.m. | (RV) Carroll at North Park
7:00 p.m. | Carthage at Elmhurst
7:00 p.m. | Millikin at Wheaton
 
IN THE POLLS
Illinois Wesleyan owned the fourth spot in Monday’s new D3hoops.com rankings and the fifth position in the new WBCA poll released on Tuesday afternoon.
 
IWU received 536 points in the D3hoops.com poll and 185 points in the coaches’ poll. NYU, Scranton and Bowdoin – the final remaining unbeaten teams in Division III – occupied the top three positions in both polls.
 
The D3hoops.com poll allocated 17 points for Carroll, fourth-most among unranked teams.
 
CCIW AND THE NPI
New to Division III women’s basketball in 2024-25, the NCAA Power Index (NPI) is a system that houses the division’s statistical data and objectively applies the selection criteria to the data based on the sport committee’s established weighted criteria. The rankings are used to select at-large teams for NCAA Championships.
 
The latest NPI rankings, including games through Feb. 9, were released by the NCAA this week.
 
4. Illinois Wesleyan
48. Carthage
50. Carroll
107. Wheaton
154. Elmhurst
211. Millikin
215. North Central
217. Augustana
352. North Park

NATIONAL NOTABLES
Carroll senior guard Olivia Rangel (Franklin, Wis.) ranks 20th in Division III with 3.32 steals per game.
 
Illinois Wesleyan junior guard Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.) ranks 25th in Division III with 3.18 steals per game.
 
AROUND THE CCIW
Augustana freshman guard Audrey Erickson (Silvis, Ill.) netted 15 points – her fifth consecutive game scoring in double figures – to pace the Vikings in their 58-55 win at Wheaton on Thursday. Erickson – who ranks eighth in the CCIW with 2.81 assists per game this season – had four assists Thursday to go with seven rebounds. The Vikings (10-13, 6-8 CCIW) are tied for what would be the final spot in the CCIW Tournament and will travel to Carroll Saturday at 2 pm.
 
Carroll junior forward Natalie Gricius (Oconomowoc, Wis.) went 7-for-13 from the floor and drilled four 3-pointers for a team-best 20 points in the Pioneers’ 71-63 win at Wheaton last Saturday. Gricius – whose performance made her the first player in the league to reach the 20-point plateau 10 times this season – also had eight rebounds and two assists in the victory. The Pios (15-7, 10-3 CCIW), who are in second place in the league standings and have secured a bye into the CCIW Tournament finals, host Augustana Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Carthage senior forward Marianna Morrissey (Libertyville, Ill.) scored a season-high 27 points and hauled down nine rebounds to help the Firebirds upset second-ranked Illinois Wesleyan last Saturday at Tarble Arena, 87-81. Morrissey tied the game at 56-56 with a bucket with 8:28 to play, then gave the Firebirds the lead for good with a 3-point play for a 69-68 advantage at the 3:59 mark. Carthage (16-6, 8-5 CCIW) is alone in third place in the CCIW standings and can punch its ticket to the CCIW Tournament with a win in any of its last three games, starting Saturday at home against Wheaton at 2 p.m.
 
Elmhurst senior guard Rowan Cusack (Vancouver, Wash.) established new career highs with 15 points and seven assists when the Bluejays took down Millikin last Tuesday, 80-60. Cusack also had two steals in the victory, increasing her season total to 48 and ranking her fifth among CCIW players with 2.40 steals per contest. Cusack is one of only two players in the league to rank among the top six in both steals per game and assists per game (3.15). EU (13-8, 5-8 CCIW) is a half-game out of the final CCIW Tournament spot and will visit North Park Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
Illinois Wesleyan junior guard Sawyer White (Downers Grove, Ill.) made her eighth start of the season Tuesday night against North Park, providing seven points, six assists and four steals in just 20 minutes of action in a 99-42 win. White is one of only two players in the league with at least 70 steals, while her career average of 3.15 steals per game leads all active CCIW players. The Titans (21-1, 12-1 CCIW) can clinch at least a share of the CCIW title this Saturday at home at 2 p.m. against Millikin.
 
Millikin senior guard/forward Emily White (Sullivan, Ill.) logged 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals to vault the Big Blue over Augustana last Saturday, 59-51. White connected on six of eight field-goal attempts, her most makes in a game this season since going 8-for-14 in the season opener versus Rose-Hulman on Nov. 11. MU (8-14, 7-6 CCIW) owns fourth place in the CCIW standings and will travel to Illinois Wesleyan Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
North Central graduate guard Megan McClure (Barlett, Ill.) was one of four Cardinals to score in double figures with 14 points when the Cardinals won at Carroll last Tuesday, 75-71. McClure scored eight points in the fourth quarter, headlined by a 3-pointer with 3:27 to play that broke a 65-65 tie and allowed the visitors to lead the rest of the way. NCC (10-13, 6-8 CCIW) is surging with three consecutive wins into a tie for the final spot in the CCIW Tournament and will be the home team next Wednesday when Illinois Wesleyan visits for a 7 p.m. start.
 
North Park sophomore forward Caroline Long (Kokomo, Ind.) made a career-high 11 field goals en route to 23 points in the Vikings’ 82-71 loss at North Central last Saturday. The performance helped raise Long’s season scoring average to a team-best 12.8 points per contest that moved her into the 10th place on this season’s CCIW scoring list. North Park (3-20, 0-14 CCIW) plays its last two games at home, starting with Saturday’s 2 p.m. matchup with Elmhurst.
 
Wheaton junior guard Alyssa Faberowski (Lone Tree, Colo.) reached the 20-point mark for the first time in her career Thursday night against Wheaton, netting 20 on the nose in the Thunder’s 58-55 defeat. Faberowski made four of seven attempts from beyond the arc and played 35 minutes to become just the sixth player in the league to cross the 700-minute threshold this season. The Thunder (11-11, 6-7 CCIW) have a half-game lead for fifth place in the CCIW race and play their final road game of the regular season Saturday at Carthage at 2 p.m.