(Sugar Grove, IL) – In a showdown between the top two women's basketball teams in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC), Morton College pulled away in the fourth quarter to grab a 76-58 win over Waubonsee Community College. The Panthers, ranked 12th in the latest NJCAA Division II poll, improved to 7-0 in league play and 18-2 overall on the season. Waubonsee saw its' six-game winning streak snapped, falling to 15-4 overall and 5-2 in conference action. The Chiefs, ranked in the top-30 in the same poll, have gone 11-2 in their last 13 games with both losses coming to Morton. The Panthers prevailed in Cicero three weeks ago by also pulling away in the final quarter for a 72-63 victory.
The first quarter in this match-up was a back and forth affair with six lead changes and two ties. A three-pointer by Janiece Thomas late in the period pulled Waubonsee to within a point at 16-15. A triple at the buzzer by Morton's Dylan Van Fleet ended the period with the Panthers in front 21-17. The visitors continued to shoot well from long range in the second quarter as they began to pull away. A trio of three-point baskets helped propel the Panthers to a 33-20 lead midway through the quarter.
However, an offensive rebound and put back basket by Thomas started to turn the momentum back in Waubonsee's favor. Melia Perry then buried her third trey of the half, this time from the left corner with a minute and a half remaining to make it a 37-30 score. A pair of free throws by Evelyn Martin and Jaylynn Vana in the final minute got the Chiefs within four points at 38-34. Van Fleet finished off the half with two made free throws with two seconds left to give the Panthers a 40-34 lead at the break.
Three minutes into the second half Brooke Heiman made a floating right hander on the baseline to again get Waubonsee within four points at 45-41. However, Heiman picked up her fourth personal foul midway through the third quarter and had to take a seat. Martin came in for her and promptly nailed a three-pointer from the right corner and another inside basketball to keep the Chiefs within striking distance at 51-46. Unfortunately, Thomas also picked up her fourth foul with two minutes remaining in the period and also had to head to the bench. Morton managed only a couple free throws over the final couple minutes and carried a 53-46 lead into the final stanza.
A pair of quick baskets by the Panthers to start the fourth quarter pushed their lead back to double digits at 57-46. A three-point play by Martin and a long trey by Thomas helped keep Waubonsee close, but the Panthers responded each time with a score of their own. A basket from close in by Franchesca Metz midway through the period equaled the Panthers' biggest lead of the game as they went ahead 67-54. Van Fleet then capped off the Panthers' victory with another triple from the left corner in the final minute as Morton pulled away.
Thomas led Waubonsee with 13 points to go along with five assists and five rebounds. Martin came off the bench to score a dozen points and snag six rebounds. Heiman finished with 11 points and haul down seven boards. Vana tallied 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Delani Kosner dished out three assists, made three steals and secured five rebounds. Perry ended the evening with nine points, all in the first half.
Coach Williams' Chiefs are in action again next Tuesday, February 1 when they host Elgin Community College in another ISCC contest. Tip-off is set for 5:15 p.m. in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. Due to the local community's amount of cases of COVID-19, no spectators are allowed at any Waubonsee athletic events at this time. The game can be seen live-streamed at https://vimeo.com/waubonseeathletics. A listing of upcoming events and athletics information is at www.gochiefs.com