Milwaukee, Wis. -- A hard fought NACC matchup wasn't in favor of the Cougars after ending with a final score of 76-59.
Inside the Box
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Mikalah Ellis (Chicago, Ill.) led the Cougars with a career high 23 points and 8 rebounds.
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Ava Gardner (Park Ridge, Ill.) followed closely behind with 19 points after shooting 63.6% from the floor.
Starting the game with a driving jumper from Ellis, the Cougars immediately felt the momentum on their side. A string of power plays including two threes from Gardner as well as an offensive rebound put back from Alisyn MacGregor (Loves Park, Ill.) hoisted this team ahead. Unable to close enough gaps, the Raiders were able to penetrate the defense enough to steal the lead, closing the quarter 22-17.
A fast paced Raider offense kept the Cougars on their toes, but weren't able to shut them down enough to keep them from scoring. Struggling to convert in transition, the Cougars were forced to utilize the majority of their shot clock each possession. Relying on quick ball movement and sharp shooting, the Cougars brought the score within nine heading into the half.
After a low scoring second quarter, the Cougars picked things back up to grab 21 points in the third. Utilizing sparks from the bench, Prentciss Gates (Gary, Ind.) and Sarah Ludwig (Roselle, Ill.) provided valuable minutes for the Cougars helping to keep them in the game.
Despite the intensity and grit from the Cougars, they couldn't slow down the Raider offense. With a final score of 76-59 the Cougars fall to 6-13 overall and 5-9 in the NACC. Coming back home on Tuesday, they'll take on Rockford University at 7pm.
