ROCKFORD, ILL. -- In the continuous battle for the remaining spots in the conference tournament, the Concordia University Chicago Cougars hit the road to Rockford, Illinois to take on the Rockford University Regents, ultimately defeating them 73-63.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Earlier this season, the Regents took the court in River Forest and dominated the Cougars. On the January 25th matchup, the Regents outshot the Cougars a striking 45% to 28% from the field. On paper the Cougars had a well-fought game, forcing more turnovers and picking up more steals, while the Regents only outrebounded them by three.
The Cougars hold the overall record over the Regents, with a now 21-10 record. Prior to tonight's matchup, the Regents had secured the last three wins over the Cougars as they proved to be a new conference foe.
INSIDE THE BOX
-
Mikalah Ellis (Chicago, Ill.) had a star-studded evening, setting two new career highs while securing her second double-double of the season. Ellis led the team with 27 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.
-
Melia Perry (Plainfield, Ill.) lit up the floor with 16 points while shooting 54.5% from the floor and 57.1% from three.
-
Jaylene Wade (Lansing, Ill.) led the floor with a career-tying eight assists, four rebounds, and four steals.
FIRST QUARTER
The Cougars came out from the jump with intensity after back-to-back buckets from Perry put them up 5-0 to start the game.
Both teams went back and forth, as the Cougars remained on top for the first six minutes of the game. With fresh legs coming off the bench, Nazuri Whigham (Naperville, Ill.) made her presence known with her first bucket coming off a baseline cut into traffic to finish on the left side of the basket. Shortly after, she drained a three to cap her points at five for the night.
As the Regents went on a 13-5 run, the Cougars fell behind to close the first quarter. Perry closed the first ten minutes with eight of the team's 16 points while shooting a clean 3-for-3 from the field.
SECOND QUARTER
Having to fight out of a deficit to start the second quarter, the Cougars found momentum in the form of Ellis. Back-to-back threes brought them back within four. Following her two triples, Ellis put up two more buckets and a pair of free throws earning 15 of the team's 24 points in the second quarter.
Between Ellis' big buckets, Perry found success from the floor. Continuing her first-quarter tale, Perry put up two more triples while shooting 5-for-6 from the floor and assisting the Cougars in regaining the lead heading into halftime.
THIRD QUARTER
Kicking off the third quarter, Wade secured her first points of the night off a three from the top of the key. Despite Wade's first points coming in the second half, she entered the 21st minute of play with six assists already under her belt.
As the Cougars extended their lead Ellis tacked on an and-one off a fast break steal orchestrated by Wade.
Remaining scoreless for almost four minutes, the Cougars broke the lid with a jumper from Ellis before freshman Mckayley Hopkins (St. Louis, Mo.) got the offense rolling. Back-to-back layups, with the latter including an additional free throw on the and-one, Hopkins jumpstarted her night.
FOURTH QUARTER
Building off their 13-4 run to close the third quarter the Cougars jumped out to a 15 point lead in the fourth quarter off a solo free throw from Ellis. A fast-paced feed from Hopkins to a rim-running Alisyn MacGregor (Loves Park, Ill.) would bring her fourth-quarter total to four -- half of her points of the night.
With additional buckets from Hopkins, Ellis, and Wade the Regents couldn't catch up and the Cougars closed the night on top.
The Cougars will be back in action on Saturday, at 2:00 pm, as they head North to take on the undefeated St. Norbert Green Knights. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage/
