Whiting, Ind. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's basketball team in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup Wednesday. The RedHawks (9-16, 6-11 CCAC) defeated the Crimson Wave (3-22, 2-16 CCAC), 68-57, at the Rittenmeyer Center.

The first quarter went back-and-forth with both teams. IUN led 18-16 after the first quarter as CCSJ hit a shot as time was expiring. 

IUN started the second quarter on a 7-2 run after Jessy Siems (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) hit a three-pointer to make it 25-18 with 8:28 left in the quarter.  Calumet College crawled back and scored eight points in a row to take a 26-25 lead with 5:49 remaining in the half.

The score was 30-28 in favor of the RedHawks with 3:19 left. IUN outscored CCSJ 7-2 the rest of the half with baskets by Hannah Hammar (Hammond, Ind./Morton), a three-pointer by Alexis Vieck (Bicknell, Ind.) and a jump shot by Jocelyn Colburn (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) made it 37-30 at the break.

The RedHawks took total control of the contest early in the second half after Michaela Schmidt (Highland, Ind./Highland) hit a basket and CCSJ responded. IUN then scored nine points in a row for a 17 point lead capped off by back-to-back layups by Lauren Smolen (Crown Point, Ind./Lake Central). 

IUN kept it continued to hold onto a double-digit lead most of the third quarter until Da'Leshia Davis (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) gave the RedHawks their biggest lead of the night which was 18 (54-36) at the 2:44 mark in the third quarter. Calumet College would score the last nine points of the quarter to make it 54-45 at the end of the period.

CCSJ scored the first five points of the fourth period to make it a four-point game to capped off a 13-0 run but that was the closest the Crimson Wave got the rest of the way. Smolen converted on a huge and-one to make it 57-50 with 6:49 remaining in the contest. 

Siems delivered the dagger for the game as the junior hit a three-pointer that made it 62-50 with five minutes to play. IUN would hang on to win  68-57.

Siems led the RedHawks with a season-high 16 points. Smolen had a near double-double for IUN as the freshman scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds. 

IUN returns to action Saturday, February 8 as the RedHawks host No. 8 Saint Xavier at the Savannah Center starting at 1 p.m. CT.