Illini Drop Game to Wisconsin; Area College Roundup

CHAMPAIGN -- Joseph Bertrand tallied 17 points and seven rebounds as the University of Illinois fell to Wisconsin, 74-68.

Brnadon Paul chipped in with 13 points off the bench for Illinois, which dipped to 15-8 and 2-7 in the Big Ten. The Illini welcome third-ranked Indiana to town Thursday.

Women -- Eastern Illinois 70, SIUE 65

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – CoCo Moore scored a career-high 19 points Saturday, but the SIUE Cougars fell 70-65 at the Vadalabene Center to Ohio Valley Conference Western Division rival Eastern Illinois.
 
Moore hit a three-pointer with 1:38 left to play that cut the lead to 64-62. Eastern Illinois went on a quick 6-0 run to put the game out of reach. SIUE Head Coach Paula Buscher gave Eastern Illinois credit for its play down the stretch.
 
Teutopolis graduate Jessie Wendt hit two of four from the field for SIUE, one of three from three-point range and one of three at the free throw line for six points. She had two rebounds, three assists and a steal.
 
SIUE fell to 11-11 overall and 5-5 in the OVC. Eastern Illinois, led by 23 points from Mariah King, improved to 14-8 overall and 7-2 in the OVC.
 
Michaela Herrod picked up her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Cougars.

Men -- SIUE 49, Eastern Illinois 45

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Jerome Jones sank a 3-pointer with 55 seconds remaining to give SIU Edwardsville the lead as the Cougars took advantage of a cold Eastern Illinois shooting night.  SIUE won 49-45.

SIUE improved to 8-11, 4-5 in the OVC.  EIU had its three game OVC win streak snapped falling to 6-17, 3-7 in the OVC.

The Panthers return to action on Thursday at UT Martin.

Morris Woods capped an 8-0 run putting the Panthers up 37-27 with 11:31 left in the game. Woods would lead EIU with 16 points.

SIUE would answer with a 12-2 run to tie the game at 39-39 as Michael Messer hit a 3-pointer at 7:26.

After building the ten point lead EIU would make only four shots the remainder of the game as they went cold from the field.  EIU was 0-9 from 3-point range in the second half and 0-4 from the free throw line in the second half.

Men -- Southern Indiana 78, McKendree 68

LEBANON, Ill. – The 13th-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team used a strong second half to defeat McKendree University, 78-68, Saturday afternoon in Lebanon, Illinois. USI rises to 16-3 overall and 9-2 in the GLVC, while McKendree goes to 7-14, 1-10 GLVC.
 
The victory keeps the Screaming Eagles on pace and in a virtual tie for first in the GLVC East Division with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The Rangers rose to an identical 9-2 conference record with a win at home over the University of Indianapolis, 77-71, this afternoon. UW-Parkside defeated USI last month in Somers, Wisconsin, and the rematch is slated for next weekend (February 9) at the PAC when the Eagles host the Rangers for Homecoming.  

St. Anthony graduate John Steppetallied 32 points on 10 of 18 field goal shooting, two of four from three-point range, and 10 of 10 at the line for McKendree. He pulled down nine rebounds and had five assists.

Women -- Millikin 48, North Park 40

The Millikin women’s basketball team defeated North Park University 48-40 Feb. 2 at the Griswold Center in Decatur, Ill.

Millikin used a late game push to pull out the victory.  The Big Blue’s second half surge was driven by junior guard Brittany Czaplicki (Bourbonnais, Bradley Bourbonnais H.S.) who finished the game with a team high 20 points, six rebounds and four steals.   Czaplicki was seemingly involved in every play down the stretch driving to the hoop for layups, grabbing rebounds and diving on the floor for loose balls. Czaplicki even finished off the game grabbing her own rebound off a missed free throw and converting the layup.  

Holly Haskins (Decatur, St.Teresa H.S.) had 10 points, four steals and three rebounds. Senior Nikki Tipsword (Newton, H.S.) scored nine points and pulled down five important defensive rebounds. Tipsword’s three-pointer with 6:14 left to play gave Millikin the lead for good.  It was Millikin’s only three-point basket in the game.

The win was the Big Blue’s second straight CCIW win and Millikin is now 7-13, 2-8 while North Park falls to 13-8, 4-6.

Millikin snapped its nine game losing streak defeating Elmhurst College 72-53 Jan. 30 in the Griswold Center in Decatur, Ill.

Jasmine Johnson (Springfield, Marshalltown College) led the Big Blue in scoring and rebounding with 16 points and seven rebounds along with two blocks and three steals.  Tipsword scored 12 points and Moli Copple (El Paso, El Paso Gridley H.S.) added 10.  Haskins tied Johnson for the team rebounding lead with seven broads and she scored nine
points.

The Big Blue will be back in action Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. at 7:30 p.m.

Men -- Millikin 91, North Park 71

The Millikin men’s basketball team defeated North Park University 91-71 at the Griswold Center in Decatur, Ill. Feb. 2.

Millikin’s top scorer and rebounder was Deavis Johnson (East St. Louis, H.S.) with his fourth double double of the season with 25 points and 15 rebounds.  Johnson added three assists and three steals. TJ Griffin (St. Louis, Mo., McCluer H.S.) had 20 points, three assists and three steals for Millikin.  Mitch Wilfer (Wentzville, Mo., Holt H.S.) scored 12 points and had nine rebounds.  Trent Windemuller (Holland, Mich., H.S.) was also in double figures with 11 points.

Millikin featured a balanced attack with 12 players scoring and 12 players grabbing at least one rebound.

Millikin improves to 8-13, 4-6 while North Park goes to 6-15, 1-9.

The Millikin men lost at Elmhurst College 68-61 in Elmhurst, Ill. Jan. 30.  Chase Robbins (Normal, Normal Community H.S.) led Millikin with 17 points and five assists.  Elijah Kinmon (Fairview Heights, O’Fallon H.S.) added 13 points.  Johnson had his third double-double of the season scoring 11 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

Millikin will host #7 North Central College Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m.