STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point women's basketball team (2-3) got a career-high 26 points from sophomore
Bailee Collins (Milton, Wis./Milton), but visiting No. 16 Illinois Wesleyan (6-2) held on late for a 77-72 win over UWSP.
Collins led all players with 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field. She also made 6-of-8 free throws and grabbed five rebounds.
Junior
Carly Cerrato (De Pere, Wis./De Pere) had a double-double for UWSP with 10 points and 10 assists. Sophomore
Brooke Geier (Kewaunee, Wis./Kewaunee) was also in double-figure scoring with 14 points.
Geier snapped a 6-0 IWU run to begin the game with a layup at the 5:35 mark of the first. She nailed a three and Collins scored her first points as UWSP pulled within 9-8. The Titans closed the period on a 10-0 run.
After a bucket by IWU, Geier again snapped the run with a basket a minute into the second. Cerrato drilled a three as UWSP began to comeback. With 3:12 left int he first half, Collins completed an and-one to make it 33-26.
Taylor Greenheck (Sauk Prairie, Wis./Sauk Prairie) nailed a triple and
Kellan Schmidt (Edgerton, Wis./Edgerton) ended the half with a layup as UWSP trailed 39-31 at the break.
A minute into the third period, Collins took over scoring the first bucket of 12 points in the quarter. Geier and Cerrato hit threes as Collins scored the remainder of a 10-2 run to tie the game at 43-43. Schmidt put UWSP in front and Cerrato extended the lead to four at 47-43. Collins scored six-straight for UWSP, but the lead only reached five points.
Olivia Pawlak (Lindenhurst, Ill./Lakes Community) made a layup in the closing second as the Pointers led 59-56 after three.
Collins continued her hot streak with nine points in the fourth as UWSP held a 70-68 lead with 1:49 remaining. Geier put the Pointers ahead 72-70 with 1:08 to go, but IWU scored the final seven points of the game to prevail.
The Pointers remain home to take on North Central College next Tuesday (Dec. 11) at 7:00 p.m. Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to help in the Cupboard Food Drive that night.
