MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's women's basketball team came up one possession short against Illinois College in Saturday's 71-68 battle between young and talented Midwest Conference foes inside the Small Sport Center.

The teams combined to score 40 points in the fourth quarter, including a 15-foot jumper by Lilly Pepper that put the Lady Blues ahead 70-68 with 31 seconds remaining.

Illinois College (3-2) got a defensive stop and made 1-of-2 free throws on the other end, pushing the margin to 71-68 with eight seconds left. Madison Osborn (SO/Alburnett, Iowa)'s long 3-point try from the top of the key was off the mark as time expired and the Lady Blues hung on.

The Rams (2-1), who started three freshmen and two sophomores, received a fine 17-point, 10-rebound performance from Madison Wauters (SO/Winterset, Iowa). The 6-foot-3 sophomore post recorded her first collegiate double-double, hitting 6-of-8 field goals and going 5-of-6 from the foul line.

Cornell's balanced attack had freshman Rachael Adewusi (FR/Warren, Mich.) collect 10 points and six rebounds. Freshmen Kali March (FR/Littleton, Colo.) and Megan Gandrup (SO/Clinton, Iowa), both freshmen, netted nine and eight points, respectively. March dished four assists.

Freshman Ilah Perez-Johnson (FR/Bettendorf, Iowa), who played a key role in Cornell's five-set volleyball win over Wartburg earlier in the day, chipped in seven points and four rebounds off the bench.

Cornell led most of the first half and built its biggest lead at 38-30 early in the third quarter. The Lady Blues responded with a 12-0 run and the game went back and forth the rest of the way.

The Lady Blues shot 50.9 percent from the field and held a 38-32 advantage on the boards. Cornell was a solid 14-of-18 from the foul line.

Coming up – The Rams and Lady Blues meet again March 6 for a 3 p.m. tipoff in Jacksonville, Ill.