CHICAGO, Ill. – Jessica Carrothers delivered a dominant 44-point performance, but Indiana Northwest was unable to overcome a strong fourth-quarter push by Saint Xavier, falling 73-68 in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) matchup Saturday afternoon at the Shannon Center.
Carrothers, the nation's leading scorer, shot 16-of-30 from the field and a perfect 12-of-12 from the free-throw line while adding five rebounds and four steals. Tiara Jackson recorded a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, but the RedHawks (17-5, 10-4 CCAC) struggled to find offensive rhythm beyond their star duo, as no other player scored more than four points.
Indiana Northwest led 51-50 entering the fourth quarter, but Saint Xavier (13-9, 9-5 CCAC) outscored the RedHawks 23-17 in the final period to secure the win. The Cougars took advantage of their size in the paint and capitalized on second-chance opportunities, holding a 49-32 rebounding advantage and outscoring IUN 16-8 in second-chance points.
Jaidn Green led the Cougars with 16 points, while Alyssa Crenshaw added 12 points and 16 rebounds. Maeve Egan provided a spark off the bench, scoring 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including three three-pointers.
Shooting struggles proved costly for Indiana Northwest, as the RedHawks went 0-for-18 from three-point range and shot just 38.8% from the field overall. Despite the shooting woes, IUN remained in contention thanks to its efficiency at the free-throw line (16-of-20) and Carrothers' ability to attack the rim.
The game featured five lead changes and four ties, with neither team leading by more than nine points. Indiana Northwest briefly held a 51-50 edge heading into the fourth quarter, but Saint Xavier opened the final frame on a 9-2 run and never trailed again. The RedHawks had chances to close the gap late, but the Cougars sealed the game at the free-throw line, making 10-of-14 attempts in the fourth quarter.
Indiana Northwest will look to bounce back on Wednesday, Feb. 5, when it returns home to face Olivet Nazarene. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT at the Savannah Center.
Recap by PJ Katona
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