NAPERVILLE — The quarterfinal round of the 2026 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Women’s Basketball Championship concluded Tuesday night with No. 6 Wheaton and No. 4 Carthage advancing to Friday’s semifinal round.
 
Wheaton recorded a 75-67 road win over No. 3 North Central, while Carthage posted an 80-77 home victory over No. 5 Elmhurst.
 
The tournament now shifts to Van Male Fieldhouse in Waukesha, Wis., for the semifinal round on Friday. No. 4 Carthage will face No. 2 Illinois Wesleyan in the opening semifinal, followed by No. 6 Wheaton against No. 1 Carroll.
 
#6 Wheaton def. #3 North Central, 75-67
Wheaton advanced to the semifinals with a 75-67 win at Gregory Arena, defeating third-seeded North Central. The Thunder led for much of the game and did not trail after the midway point of the second quarter.
 
Jenna Hunter led Wheaton with 30 points and 11 rebounds, finishing 13-for-22 from the field. Wheaton built its lead to as many as 17 points late in the third quarter.
 
North Central shot 30.8 percent from the floor in the first quarter and trailed for the remainder of the contest. The Cardinals outscored Wheaton 21-17 in the fourth quarter but were unable to complete the comeback.
 
Cate Uhren paced North Central with 17 points, while Kennedy Hartwig added 15 points, including three three-pointers. Wheaton’s defensive effort and Lydia Brogan’s 11 rebounds limited North Central’s second-chance opportunities late in the game.
 
Wheaton shot 47.7 percent from the field, compared to 35.7 percent for North Central. Kate Oliver added 18 points for the Thunder and went 6-for-8 at the free-throw line in the closing minutes.
 
Wheaton will face top-seeded Carroll at 7:30 p.m. in Friday’s semifinal round in Waukesha.
 
#4 Carthage def. #5 Elmhurst, 80-77
Carthage advanced with an 80-77 win over Elmhurst at Tarble Arena in a game that featured 15 lead changes and 13 ties. Carthage held the lead for more than 25 minutes, but Elmhurst remained within one possession through the final seconds.
 
Nora Ahram led Carthage with 20 points, including four three-pointers. Alyssa Orozco added 16 points and eight rebounds, while Grace Cord scored 12 points. Cord converted a free throw with two seconds remaining to extend the Carthage lead to three.
 
Elmhurst was led by Kristin Bukata, who finished with a game-high 29 points and 10 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. Bukata scored on a jumper with three seconds left to bring the Bluejays within two before Carthage added the final free throw. Anna Kleszynski added 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out in the closing seconds.
 
Carthage shot 32.1 percent from three-point range, while Elmhurst shot 16.7 percent from beyond the arc. The Firebirds also received 10 bench points from Delaney Elsmore in 22 minutes.
 
With the win, Carthage advances to Friday’s semifinal round to face No. 2 Illinois Wesleyan at 5 p.m.