RIVER FOREST, ILL. -- The Concordia University Chicago (CUC) women's basketball team took the journey to Lisle, Ill. to take on the Benedictine University Eagles. Fresh off a two game win streak (after a monumental win over Concordia University Wisconsin and a conference forfeit from Alverno College), the Cougars would battle from start to finish, but fall 82-67. 

INSIDE THE BOX

• Jocelyn Chammas (Chicago, Ill.) picked up a new career-high on the night with 18 points while shooting 70% from the field including going four-for-six from behind the three-point line.
• Ai Yonemura (Yachiyo, Chiba-Japan) led the scorers with 25 points while seeing 40 minutes of play. The freshman also added in five assists and a block. 
• Grace King (Fairland, Ind.) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 15 points while adding in five rebounds and two steals. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
The Eagles won the tip and got to work quickly, leaving the Cougars trailing by three within the first 15 seconds of the game. Yonemura worked to retaliate, driving into the lane to pick up CUC's first points of the night. The back-and-forth battle would begin and the two teams would exchange points until a 5-0 run from the Eagles would give them an eight-point advantage. After a two-minute scoring draught, Yonemura would find the hoop off an offensive rebound from Sophia Pedraza (Carol Stream, Ill.). Buckets from King and Naveya Jackson (Sun Prairie, Wis.) would cut their deficit down to three as the clock expired in the quarter. 

SECOND QUARTER
Benedictine would strike first in the second quarter with an opening layup, but Chammas would get things going with a layup for her first points of the night. A quick retaliation bucket from the Eagles would be erased with a three from Chammas to bring the Cougars within two for the first time since the opening minute of the game. The Cougars would be unable to get stops on the defensive end of the floor, but Chammas would keep the Cougars in the game. Chammas would be the only Cougar to score for four minutes, collecting 13 points in that timeframe. An offensive board and layup from Emma Nickerson (Lake City, Mich.) would bring the Cougars within six, but the Eagles would quickly respond and jump back out by ten. 

Yonemura would pick up a defensive rebound and translate it to two points on the other end, driving to the rim for her 12th points of the night. With under two minutes to play in the half, Yonemura would add CUC's final two points off a layup. Three free throws for the Eagles to close the half would leave CUC trailing by 12. 

THIRD QUARTER
The Eagles would once again strike first to open the second half with a single free throw to extend to a 13-point lead. King would cause chaos inside the paint and pick up a tough offensive board and putback to bring the deficit back down to 11. The Cougars would continue to try to keep the Eagles at bay, but four to six point bursts to every two points for the Cougars would allow Benedictine to extend out to as much as a 20-point lead with under three minutes to play in the quarter. A midrange jumper from Kira Holliday (Roselle, Ill.) paired with layups from Yonemura and Nickerson would leave CUC trailing by 16 heading into the final ten minutes of play. 

FOURTH QUARTER
Keeping on the trend of the game, Benedictine would score first in the quarter, but Chammas would answer quickly with a three after forcing a Benedictine turnover. King would start to heat up after a jumper outside the paint, a layup, and a three from the top of the key to bring CUC back within 15. With the CUC defense starting to pick up, buckets from Chammas and Yonemura would bring them within 12 with a minute and a half to play. Unable to score in the final few minutes, the Cougars would fall to the Eagles 82-67. 

WHAT'S NEXT
The Cougars will continue in the fight for the playoffs as they hit the road on Saturday, February 7th to face Wisconsin Lutheran College. Tipoff is set for 1:00 pm as the Cougars face the current number one seed. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.