(Sugar Grove, IL) – Waubonsee Community College's women's basketball team came out firing against Judson University's Junior Varsity on Thursday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Chiefs (3-7) built a big lead in the first half and coasted to an 84-49 victory over the Eagles (1-5). The teams previously met on November 16 with Judson rallying from an 18-point deficit in the first half to come back and win 71-57. This game started in similar fashion to that game with Waubonsee making several three-pointers on the way to building a big first half lead. But this time the Chiefs did not falter in the second half and finished the game with 14 three-point baskets.
Angelina Schlinger connected on a three-pointer from the top of the key in the first minute of play to start the scoring. Katie Baker duplicated that with a three of her own from a similar spot as Waubonsee took an early 8-2 lead. Schlinger buried another triple a couple minutes later as the Chiefs built a 13-6 lead. A long trey by Annika Bielskis midway through the first quarter increased the lead to 16-6. The period eventually came to a close with Waubonsee in front 23-10.
Schlinger then banged in another three-pointer to begin the second quarter as the Chiefs continued to shoot well from long range. A put back basket by Schlinger extended the lead to 28-10 two minutes into the second period. The Chiefs held a 17-point lead halfway through the second stanza. Bielskis, who set a new Waubonsee single-game record with eight three-point baskets just two nights ago, drilled a 25-foot triple as the shot clock wound down to make it 34-14. A moment later a shot fake by Schlinger caused two Eagles' defenders to crash into each other, and the sophomore guard quickly converted a close range shot to give the Chiefs their biggest lead up to that point. Schlinger then buried a pair of three-pointers to give her 22 first half points and suddenly put Waubonsee ahead by 26 points in the final minute of the quarter. The half ended with the Chiefs in complete control holding a 42-18 lead. Waubonsee ended the half shooting 56 percent (9 of 16) from long range.
A couple of put back baskets by Ashleigh Wackerlin early in the third quarter pushed the lead to 50-20. Baker then sank another three-pointer and Schlinger added a pair of free throws to push the lead to 35 points. Waubonsee led by as many as 37 points before the Eagles switched to a full-court press defensively and cut the Chiefs lead down to 26 points, 61-35 at the end of the third quarter.
A pass by Alexis Trousdale to Wackerlin cutting to the basket resulted in an easy lay-in a minute into the fourth quarter. Bielskis then drilled a three-point dagger from in front of the Chiefs' bench, and Baker hit another shot from beyond the arc on the opposite side of the court as Waubonsee built the lead up to 34 points. The Chiefs continued to stay hot as Bielskis booked two more treys to help Waubonsee maintain at least a 30-point advantage down the stretch.
Schlinger booked a game-high 28 points, making five of seven shots from beyond the arc and grabbing seven rebounds. Bielskis finished with 20 points on the strength of shooting six for eight from long range. The streaky sophomore guard has now connected on 14 of her last 21 (67 percent) three-point shots after setting a new Chiefs record with eight treys just less than 48 hours earlier in Waubonsee's previous game. Baker contributed a Baker's dozen on the way to posting a double double. The sophomore scored 13 points and handed out 10 assists to go along with snagging seven boards and making three steals. Wackerlin added a dozen points and Brigid Gannon chipped in with five rebounds and three assists.
The Chiefs close out the first half of their season with two road games as they travel to Black Hawk College on Saturday, December 16. Tipoff between the Chiefs and Braves is set for 1:00 p.m. in Moline. Waubonsee is also scheduled to venture north of the Wisconsin border to take on Madison College on Monday, December 18 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Waubonsee will then have an 18-day layoff during the holiday break before hosting South Suburban College on Saturday, January 6. That game is set to start at 1:00 p.m. with the men's contest to follow at 3:00 p.m. (CDT).