DECATUR – As the playoffs approach for , there is little doubt that the No. 23-ranked team in Division III is playing outstanding basketball.
ǿý exploded for 101 points on Wednesday against Elmhurst University, , to clinch the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) regular season crown for the third consecutive season.
Five players scored in double figures for ǿý, led by with 20 points and Sarah Isaf added 17, as ǿý improved to 20-4, 14-1 in CCIW play this season.
ǿý has won 17 of its last 18 games with its only loss since the Thanksgiving break coming at Wheaton College, 66-48, on Feb. 4.
The team strung together a 14-game winning streak in that time and a key factor to the winning streak was the return from injury by senior forward , originally from Heyworth, Ill. Coffman sustained a fractured jaw in preseason practice and had to miss the first half of the season.
“It was difficult. It gave me a sense of peace knowing that it was the first half of the season, so there was a lot of room for people to grow during that time and the end of the season was what really matters,” Coffman said.
Since returning, Coffman has stepped into her role as the team’s second-leading scorer with 12.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
“We were trying to take baby steps back into it but that first game I think Bailey took three charges,” Big Blue Head Coach Olivia Lett said. “Bailey being out allowed some players to pick up some news roles, get some confidence and that has given us a lot of depth.”
The Wheaton loss ended a 14-game winning streak for the team, who have since started another winning streak that they want to bring into the CCIW and NCAA Tournament.
“The Wheaton game was a punch in the mouth,” Knudsen said. “They exposed a lot of our weaknesses. We had to focus on our defensive principles and what we needed to do on offense to better set up shooters. It made us realize that there were things that we need to get better at, so it came at the right time.”
ǿý travels to Waukesha, Wis., on Saturday to face a challenging Carroll University team (17-7, 12-3 CCIW) in their final regular season game. They are then off until the CCIW Tournament begins at the Griswold Center on Friday, Feb. 24, and ends the following day.
The Big Blue will play an opponent to be determined on Friday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. and the championship game is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. at Griswold.
Knudsen, a junior from Philo, Ill., has been on a tear recently, averaging 31.5 points in two games last week to become a co-recipient of the CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week. It was the fourth time winning the honor this season for last season’s CCIW Player of the Year.
“She's a great teammate and especially when I was out, there was also a sense of peace, knowing that she was at the forefront of what our team needed at that time,” Coffman said. “You can always trust her with the ball. If it's not my night, I know I can look to her to pick me up. It is great playing with her and knowing she's going to do special things here, even in the next year.”
After earning an at-large bid to last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Big Blue made a run to the Sweet 16. That experience will help ǿý again when they are in competition against the best teams in DIII.
“Winning the CCIW tournament on our home court is our main goal to get right into the NCAA Tournament. We fell short of that last year, so we are definitely hungry for that title,” Knudsen said. “It was a great and fun experience at the NCAAs last year, but we have set a different standard this season. We will have a target on our backs, and we will be one of the top dogs, considering our regular season. We will have to go out there with a chip on our shoulder and realize that we are there to compete.”
