CHICAGO, Ill. – The best half of hoops for North Park women's basketball wasn't enough to overcome one of the nations' top offenses in No. 15 Millikin University on Wednesday night as the Vikings fell to the Big Blue, 110-91. 91 points represents the second-highest total Millikin has allowed in a regular season game in 2023-24.
The shot clock seemed to never get past "20" in the first half, as fast breaks and quality passes up the middle led to many scoring chances for both sides. Millikin pulled ahead by 10 points, 18-8 five minutes into the first half following a jumper in the paint by 2023 Jostens Trophy winner Elyce Knudsen followed by a three from Bailey Coffman. Towards the end of the quarter, jumpers by freshman guard Aliyah Hersberger, a fastbreak three by sophomore guard Kathryn Keehn, and a pair of free throws by Hershberger closed the gap to 25-21.
Millikin opened the second quarter by widening the gap to 30-21 on an and-one, fastbreak free throw by Knudsen, but jumpers by Keehn, kept the Vikings in a two-possession game, 34-28. North Park kept this momentum when junior guard Lauren McKnight knocked down a jumper in the paint and fellow junior guard Felicia Sunden followed suit with one of her own – 40-38 Millikin. After a line change from the Millikin bench, a layup by Keehn, set up by senior guard Hailey Lyczak, tied things up, 40-40.
However, towards the waning minutes of the first half, Millikin would regain a double-digit lead before a Lyczak jumper narrowed it to 58-49, Big Blue.
The Big Blue would end up running away with the game in the second half, scoring 28 in the third and 24 in the fourth to win, 110-91.
Quick Hits:
- Knudsen with a near-triple-double: 25pts, 8reb, 10asst
- Coffman and Sophie Darden with 24pts
- Senior guard Victoria Perry with 23pts, her ninth of the season with 20+
- New career high for Hershberger: 23pts on 8-of-11 shooting
- Keehn, Lyczak, and Sunden score in double digits with 12, 11, and 14, respectively
- Sunden's 14 is a new career high
What's Next?
North Park (3-18, 0-12 CCIW) heads to No. 20 Carroll this coming Saturday, Feb. 3, for a 2:00 PM tipoff with the Pioneers. The Vikings' final home game of the season will be Feb. 7 at 7:00 PM against the Carthage Firebirds.
