JOLIET, Ill. -- The Indiana University Northwest women's basketball ended the regular season with a tough and close loss against St. Francis (Ill.), who is receiving votes in the latest NAIA Coaches Poll, 68-60, at the Pat Sullivan Center, Saturday. The RedHawks will now go into the CCAC Tournament as the sixth seed and will travel to third seed IU South Bend Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.

TEAM RECORDS 
(RV) St. Francis (Ill.) (23-6, 20-2 CCAC) | IU Northwest (19-10, 14-8 CCAC) 

QUARTER BREAKDOWN
1st Quarter: (RV) St. Francis (Ill.) 15, IU Northwest 15
2nd Quarter: (RV) St. Francis (Ill.) 20, IU Northwest 17
Halftime Score: (RV) St. Francis (Ill.) 35, IU Northwest 32
3rd Quarter: IU Northwest 15, (RV) St. Francis (Ill.) 13
4th Quarter: (RV) St. Francis (Ill.) 20, IU Northwest 13
Final Score: (RV) St. Francis (Ill.) 68, IU Northwest 60

IU NORTHWEST LEADERS
Points: Tiara Jackson (19), Karli Miller (12), Michaela Schmidt (11)
Rebounds: Tiara Jackson (10)
Assists: Karli Miller (5)
Blocks: Samantha Martin (2)
Steals: Sarah Martin (2), Meghan Long (2)

GAME RECAP
Both teams traded baskets to start the game and USF went up 7-5. Katelyn Halfacre made a three-pointer to make it 8-7 IU Northwest. 

The Fighting Saints responded with a three pointer of their own to pull ahead 10-8. The RedHawks went on a 7-0 run capped off by a Michaela Schmidt three-point play which made it 15-10.

USF scored the final five points of the first to close out the quarter. The score was tied 15-all at the end of the first quarter. 

The RedHawks went up 21-17 after Sarah Martin made a layup. The Fighting Saints responded with back-to-back three-pointers to go up 23-21 with 4:30 left in the first half. 

Schmidt bounced back with a three-pointer to make it 24-23. Both teams traded the next two baskets then Lauren Smolen made it 28-25 with 2:39 left in the second quarter. 

IU Northwest went up 28-25 then USF scored the next eight points to grab a 33-28 lead. Halfacre made a jumper with six seconds left as the Fighting Saints led 35-32 at the break.

St. Francis (Ill.) started the second half with a three-pointer. Moments later, USF went up 40-34 with 7:30 left in the third quarter. 

Tiara Jackson and Karli Miller made back-to-back layups to make it 40-38 Fighting Saints with five minutes left. Both teams traded baskets the next four minutes. 

USF was ahead 45-40 then IU Northwest scored seven points in a row capped off by a three-pointer by Halfacre. The Fighting Saints ended the third quarter with a three-pointer to make it 48-47 USF.

The fourth quarter was started with nine straight points by the Fighting Saints to go up 57-47. IU Northwest responded with three straight layups, two by Jackson and one by Miller to make it 57-53. 

USF scored the next five points in a row to extend their lead to 62-53. Schmidt made a three-pointer to cut it to 64-60 with under a minute left. 

The Fighting Saints closed out the game after scoring the next four points. USF ended up winning the game against IU Northwest 68-60.

UP NEXT
IU Northwest will be back for the CCAC Tournament, which begins Tuesday, February 22 as the RedHawks have the No. 6 seed and take on No. 3 seed Indiana South Bend in the CCAC Tournament Quarterfinals at 6 p.m. CT.