Chicago, Ill. - On Saturday afternoon, the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks women's basketball team hosted the Benedictine University Eagles in the Keating Sports Center for a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) contest. A dominating start by the visiting Eagles (8-13, 8-4) saw the Hawks (4-16, 3-9) enter halftime down 41-18. Throughout the second half of action, the Hawks were able to put up numbers, but were unable to make up the ground from the first half, dropping the contest 81-52. 

First Half (Benedictine 41 - Illinois Tech 18)

• 2-2 marked the only tie of the contest at the 9:16 mark after Kaya Jones made the Hawks first basket off a Julia Bucci assist. For the rest of the game, the visiting Eagles led the Hawks. With just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter, at 4:47, Ryell Sandifer made it a 3-point game with a jumper off a Berit Rusing assist to make the score 9-6. A 13-2 run by the Eagles closed out the quarter as the Hawks trailed 22-8.

• The Eagles began the quarter with a three pointer before Bucci broke the Hawks scoreless streak at 8:23 with a 3-pointer off an Allie Sillo assist. After an Eagle layup, Sillo drained a 3-pointer of her own at 7:59 off a Sandifer assist. With 4:20 remaining until halftime, the Eagles led the Hawks 35-16 after draining a three. Between 4:19 and 2:32, neither side would record a basket. The Eagles broke the scoreless streak with a layup. At the end of the second quarter, the Eagles led the Hawks 41-18. 

Second Half (Benedictine 40 - Illinois Tech 34)

• Coming out of halftime, Grace Goodnough made two free throws to get the second half action going. Between 9:24 and 3:36, the Eagles went on a 19-4 run to take a 55-24 lead. Both sides would create offensive action through the remainder of the third quarter. At the end of the quarter, the Eagles led 66-34. 

• The first basket of the fourth quarter came at 8:29 in favor of the Eagles after a layup made the game 68-34. Neither side then recorded a basket until the Eagles madea  3-pointer at 6:38. Jones made the Hawks first basket of the fourth quarter at 6:18 with a layup. At the 5:07 mark, Camden Joko recorded a jumper from a Goodnough assist to make the score 73-41. The Hawks had a 5-0 run between 3:09 and 2:28 with two free throws made by Rusing, and a free throw plus a layup made by Jones. At the final buzzer, the Hawks were defeated by the Eagles 81-52. 

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Julia Bucci - 13 points, 5-of-13 (38.5%) from the field, 3-of-7 (42.9) from three, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

• Berit Rusing - 12 points, 3-of-5 (60.0%) from the field, 6-of-6 (100%) from the free throw line, 2 rebounds, 3 assists 

Eagles Standouts

• Sophia Hardy - 13 points, 5-of-8 (62.5%) from the field, 1-of-1 (100%) from three,2-of-3 (66.7%) from the free throw line, 3 rebounds, 1 assists, 1 block, 1 steal

• Jordan Carlquist - 11 points, 5-of-7 (71.4%) from the field, 1-of-2 (50.0%) from three, 5 rebounds, 3 assists,1 steal

• Autumn Rucker - 11 points, 5-of-8 (62.5%) from the field, 1-of-2 (50%) from the free throw line, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

Inside the Box Score 

• The Hawks were 19-of-61 (31.1%) from the field, 4-of-17 (23.5%) from three, and 10-of-12 (83.3%) from the free throw line

• The Eagles were 30-of-66 (45.5%) from the field, 8-of-30 (26.7%) from three, 13-of-19 (68.4%) from the free throw line 

• The Eagles out-rebounded the Hawks 46-32

• 42 of the Eagles' points were in the paint

Up Next

The Hawks will return to the court on February 7th, when they welcome the Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors to the Keating Sports Center for NACC action. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM.