Lake Forest Clinches MWC Tourney Berth with Victory at Illinois College
Paige Keasler leads the Foresters to sixth straight win with a career-high 13 points

Paige Keasler

With a career-high 13 points, sophomore guard Paige Keasler (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) was the only Forester to score in double figures as each of the 13 players on the team to appear in the contest finished with at least two points. Keasler shot 3-for-4 from the field and 6-for-8 from the free throw line while adding five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Senior center Nicole Baich (Westchester, Ill./Nazareth Academy) was next on the team with eight points on 4-for-4 shooting from the floor and she led the squad with eight rebounds. Senior guard Beth Lucas (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) scored seven points and added a team-high four assists and four steals.

Lake Forest shot 43.9 percent from the floor, 8-for-19 (42.1%) from three-point range, and 10-for-15 (66.7%) from the free throw line. Illinois College made just 38.7 percent of its field goal attempts, including three of 12 from beyond the arc, and six of 11 foul shots. The Foresters out-rebounded the Lady Blues 40-31 and committed 37 of the game’s 70 turnovers.

Three-point baskets by four different Foresters highlighted a 15-2 first-half run and the difference reached as many as 19 points late in the period. Lake Forest had a 41-25 lead at halftime and extended the margin to 21 points on three different occasions during the final 20 minutes. The visitors led 68-50 with two minutes remaining before Illinois College scored the final seven points of the contest.

The Foresters will host Grinnell College at 1:00 Saturday afternoon (February 16). It will be Lake Forest’s Senior Day and Alumni Day.

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