GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 10th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University women’s basketball team finished off a perfect weekend with a 74-65 win over No. 9 Hope College Saturday, Nov. 16, in the final game of the Calvin-Hope Classic at Van Noord Arena. IWU (2-0) saw seniors Kate Palmer (Geneva, Ill.-Geneva) and Mallory Powers (Amboy, Ill.-Amboy) named to the all-tournament team, while Hope dipped to 2-1.
Four Titans were good for double digits performances as Palmer, Powers, senior Lauren Huber (Lombard, Ill.-Glenbard East), and junior Sara Balli (Bloomingdale, Ill.-Lake Park) paced the Green and White. Palmer scored 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting, while leading the team with three blocks. Powers and Huber each posted near double-doubles, with Powers going for 17 points and nine boards. Huber added 12 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Balli also finished with a dozen points. Junior Ava Bardic (Lincolnshire, Ill.-Stevenson) scored nine points to go along with a team-leading seven assists.
As a team, IWU connected on 28-of-59 shots to post a 47.5 field goal percentage. Illinois Wesleyan was 4-for-13 from three-point range and 14-for-18 beyond the arc. The Titans held Hope to a 34.4 shooting percentage (22-for-64) overall and an 8-for-28 showing from distance. The Flying Dutch went 13-of-16 from the charity stripe…