(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's women's basketball team opened its' 2023-2024 season on Saturday afternoon by hosting powerhouse Danville Area Community College. The Chiefs went toe-to-toe with Jaguars before falling 73-69 on their home court. The Jaguars, coming off a 21-11 season and eighth-place finish at last year's NJCAA Division II National Tournament, held off Waubonsee by making 19 of 22 free throws for the game. Waubonsee, which will be without top returning scorer Emily Hurst throughout the season due to an injury, finished just 1 for 19 from three-point range.
A minute into the game Waubonsee's Katie Baker found Paisley Booth with an interior pass for an easy bucket to knot the score at 3-3. The visiting Jaguars, owning a decided height advantage on the Chiefs, gradually built a 10-5 lead four minutes into the contest. A steal and breakaway lay-up by the Jaguars Brianna Hamilton made the score 16-11 with three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Utilizing his entire bench, head coach Jim Williams' scrappy Chiefs were able to stay close as the period ended with Danville leading just 16-13.
The second quarter started with a driving lay-up by Angelina Schlinger in traffic to get the Chiefs within a point. A minute later Waubonsee took its first and only lead after a steal and lay-in by Baker to make it 19-18. Hamilton nailed a long three-pointer from the top of the key to put the Jaguars ahead 23-19 and spark their offense. By the midway point of the second stanza Danville had extended their lead to double digits at 31-19. The Chiefs stayed within striking distance as Ma'Liyah Hodges dished off to Ashleigh Wackerlin in traffic for a short basket along the baseline to make it 35-25. The half ended when Schlinger nailed a three at the buzzer with the Chiefs trailing 37-30 heading to the locker room.
However, the Jaguars quickly built their lead up to 13 points a couple minutes into the third quarter. After a timeout by Williams the Chiefs responded and got the deficit back down to single digits on a basket by Alexis Trousdale. A minute later a driving lay-up by Trousdale through the heart of Danville's defense made the score 49-40 midway through the period. A put back basket by Booth and another by Annika Bielskis got Waubonsee within five at 49-44. A moment later Trousdale scored again on a drive to the rim to make it a three-point game. The sophomore then drove the baseline and laid the ball in again not long after to make it 49-48 with two minutes left in the quarter. Hamilton netted another triple for the Jaguars as they tried to hold off Waubonsee. A pair of free throws by Danville's Keira Gregory closed out the third quarter with the visitors clinging to a 56-51 lead.
Baker completed a three-point play on the Chiefs' first possession of the fourth quarter to make it a four-point contest at 58-54. A pull-up, fade away 15-foot jumper by Schlinger made the score 64-58 with six minutes to go as Waubonsee looked to keep pace. After a pair of free throws by Hodges got the deficit down to four Hamilton answered with a big triple from the right corner push the lead up to 67-60 with five minutes remaining. Another drive and basket high off the glass by Schlinger got it back down to a five-point game. The Chiefs had opportunities to cut into the deficit over the next two minutes but misfired several times. Trousdale then took over going coast-to-coast for a lay-in to get the Chiefs within 67-65.
Baker then scored on another drive to the rack to knot the score at 67-all with 1:56 to go. Gregory then made a pair of free throws to put Danville ahead once more. The teams alternated turnovers as the clock wound down to one minute remaining. However, another turnover by Waubonsee gave the Jaguars the ball back with 0:40 left. A foul sent Gregory to the line once more where she buried a pair of charity tosses to push the lead back up to 71-67. Another Chiefs' turnover and free throw by Gregory staked Danville to a 72-67 lead with 0:15 remaining and put the game out of reach.
Schlinger finished with 18 points to lead Waubonsee in scoring. Trousdale tallied 17 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Baker booked a dozen points and dished out six assists, and Booth contributed six points and six boards. Gregory led all scorers with 24 points and connected on 12 of 14 free throws for the Jaguars. Hamilton chipped in with 17 points, Dowers added 13 points and Wariya Alhassan pulled down 14 rebounds.
Waubonsee is in action again this coming Tuesday, November 7 when they host Aurora University's Junior Varsity beginning at 5:30 p.m. Coach Lance Robinson's men's squad opens their season that evening against Illinois Valley Community College with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff in Erickson Hall Gymnasium.