Mitchell & Jones in Double Figures But Scots Lost to IC

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (12/07/2023) — The Monmouth College women's basketball team outscored Illinois College in the second half but lost 76-60 at home on Wednesday night.

Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) scored the first basket of the game and after IC scored four straight, Kiersten Cox (Illinois City, Illinois) tied the game. Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois) made two free throws and Ella Goodrich scored to cut the IC lead to 12-9 with 5:30 to go in the quarter. Averi Rangel (Moline, Illinois) knocked down a pair of free throws but IC finished the quarter on a 7-0 run to lead 22-11.

Jones made a layup early in the second quarter and Cox hit a free throw for a 31-14 IC lead. Olivia Dinges (Amboy, Illinois) scored four straight for the Scots before Danielle Beach (Geneseo, Illinois) hit a jumper. The Lady Blues scored the final bucket of the half to lead 39-20.

The visitors scored the first four points of the third quarter before Cox scored for Monmouth. Dinges made two free throws but IC pushed the lead to 52-34. Jadyn Mitchell (Flanagan, Illinois) knocked down a 3-pointer and a long jumper for a 5-0 run of her own and Madison Heisch (Illinois City, Illinois) made a reverse layup for a 52-31 IC lead. Out of a timeout, Mitchell made two free throws but IC answered with a 6-0 run to lead 58-33. Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) scored to stop the run and Mitchell hit a base-line jumper. With IC leading by 27, Jones hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the quarter at 64-40.

Jones started the fourth quarter with a free throw and after IC scored four points, Cox hit a free-throw line jumper and Jones converted a 3-point play. IC turned the ball over on three straight possessions and the Scots capitalized with a Mitchell 3-pointer and a Jones layup to cut the IC lead to 68-51. Cox pushed the Monmouth run to 16-4 but IC answered with a 3-pointer. Mitchell's 3-pointer cut the IC lead to 15 before the Lady Blues responded with a 5-0 run to lead 76-56. Stearns made a layup with 3:15 to play and added a free throw on the next possession. With IC leading 76-59, Delaney Schiedenhelm (New Berlin, Illinois) made a free throw for the final point of the game.

Mitchell led the Scots with a season-high 15 points and Jones added 13. Beach led the Scots with 11 rebounds.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Mitchell is 30-for-32 at the free throw line this season. Mitchell had a season-high in points and has scored at least 10 points in 11 games for her Monmouth career. Jones has scored at least 10 points in six games this season and 10 for her career. Beach has at least seven rebounds in four games this season and has gone over 10 boards twice with 12 against Eureka. The Scots are now off for finals with the next game at 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec, 15 against Webster.