CHICAGO – Klaire Steffens scored the game-winning layup with 1.9 seconds remaining to push the University of Chicago women's basketball team to a 63-62 win at Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon.

The Maroons improved to 7-3 and the Titans fell to 5-5.

During the course of the game, UChicago held sway in the paint, outrebounding the hosts 37-31 and owning a 22-10 advantage in second-chance points. The Maroons were also +12 in points in the paint.

IWU, meanwhile, utilized its pressure defense to force 26 turnovers in the contest, scoring 33 points off those miscues. The hosts also committed 22 turnovers as well.

A three-pointer from junior Peyton Van Soest gave the visitors an early 8-4 lead. But the Titans responded with an 8-0 run and went ahead 21-16 after one quarter. Offense for both sides slowed precipitously in the second quarter and the score stood at 31-26 by the halftime buzzer. Junior Grace Hynes had eight points at the break for the Maroons.

UChicago tallied the first eight points of the third quarter to recapture the lead at 34-31. A 10-2 IWU run late in the period launched the hosts back ahead 48-42.

The Titans picked up more momentum in the fourth quarter and led by nine with 3:50 left in the game. From that point on, the Maroons took over and held IWU scoreless the rest of the way. Two jumpers and two free throws drew UChicago to within 62-59. The visitors grabbed an offensive rebound and sophomore Ellie Gross sank a jumper to trim the margin to one point with 50 seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, junior Mallory Brodnik blocked a layup and grabbed the rebound, which set up Steffens' heroics. The senior forward scored from the left block in the final seconds to put the Maroons up 63-62. IWU's last gasp was extinguished when Hynes stole the pass into the lane.   

Hynes finished with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Steffens posted 13 points and eight rebounds. Van Soest recorded 12 points and four assists. Brodnik tallied eight points and a career-high 13 rebounds.

The Maroons shot 45.3 percent from the field, 9.1 percent from beyond the arc (2-22) and 81.3 percent from the free throw line (13-16). The Titans shot 36.2 percent on field goals, 42.1 percent on threes (8-19) and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe.

NEXT GAME:

• Friday, Dec. 31 @ 2:00 PM – Wheaton College at UChicago