BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- A slow shooting night proved costly as the fourth-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women's basketball team's historic season come to a close in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division III Tournament Friday night, March 14. IWU (28-2) fell to 11th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 63-43, inside the Shirk Center.

Illinois Wesleyan was led in scoring by junior Ava Bardic, the Green and White's lone double-digit scorer. Bardic scored 15 points while adding four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block to her evening's statline. Senior Mallory Powers led the team with six rebounds.

As a team IWU shot just 38.6 percent from the floor and went 2-of-15 from three-point range in the setback. The Green and White converted 7-of-10 free throws. UWO was balanced from the field, shooting 40.0 percent (24-of-60). 

Illinois Wesleyan spotted UW-Oshkosh a seven-point lead, as IWU's first points came on free throws by Powers with 6:22 to go in the first quarter. Bardic followed with a tough drive and finish to make it a five-point game, 9-4, but UWO used a series of putbacks on the offensive end to drive ahead, 18-5, after 10 minutes. 

IWU outscored Oshkosh in the second quarter 15-13 but still went into the halftime break trailing by nine, 31-20.

Bardic opened the third quarter with a stepback jumper off the assist from fifth-year Caite Knutson but a seven-point run from UWO kept the contest out of reach for the Green and White. 

The loss marked the end of a season for the record books for Illinois Wesleyan as the Green and White accrued 28 wins, the most since 2012. IWU swept the College Conference of Illinois of Wisconsin regular season and tournament championships for the first time since 2018. The loss marked the end of the careers for one of the most successful classes in program history in Lauren Huber, Caite Knutson, Mallory Powers, and Kate Palmer.