JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Cornell's run at a Midwest Conference Tournament berth ended Sunday night with a 73-68 women's basketball loss at Illinois College inside Sherman Gymnasium.
 
The rescheduled contest was a 40-minute battle in determining the fourth and final playoff berth into next weekend's tournament. Illinois College (10-10 overall) secured fourth place with a 9-6 league record.
 
The Rams (12-9 overall) finished tied for fifth place with Lawrence at 7-7 in the MWC. Cornell split two games with tourney qualifiers Monmouth and Knox, and took first-place Ripon to overtime on the road.  
 
Coach Brent Brase's Rams achieved the program's eighth winning season in the last nine (non-COVID) years. The young squad, which fashioned a six-game winning streak mid-season, had a starting lineup of three sophomores and two juniors.
 
Cornell, which lost to Illinois College by 21 points in November, took the Lady Blues down to the wire in this one. The Rams erased a 12-point first-half deficit and held a 57-56 lead after a pair of Rachael Adewusi free throws with 7:13 left in regulation.
 
The Lady Blues regained the lead with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes. The Rams twice got within three points in the final minute, including a 3-pointer by Kali March that trimmed the deficit to 71-68 with 17 seconds remaining. Illinois College made 2-of-4 foul shots to provide the final margin.
 
The Rams had five scorers in double figures, paced by Ani'ja Simmons' 17 points, a season-high. The sophomore forward hit 8-of-13 field goals and also led the team with nine rebounds.
 
March posted 13 points and six assists. The sophomore sank four 3-pointers, giving her 10 made over an impressive final two-game weekend. Madison Wauters netted 12 points, Adewusi 11 and Megan Gandrup 10. Wauters added six rebounds.
 
Illinois College held a 43-27 rebounding advantage, leading to 24 second-chance points to Cornell's three. Kendra Bass had 21 points to lead the Lady Blues.