The Panthers swept their two games against Top 15 squads over the weekend, extending their home winning streak to 32 games!

It all started Friday night with a 75-50 win thanks to outscoring Illinois Central 28-8 in the third quarter.

The Cougars came in ranked No. 14 and were viable threats on paper, but the Panthers used some stifling defense in the second half to impose their will on their way towards the victory. 

"Even though it was a tough matchup, our energy and momentum kept us going. There were times when the game got close, but we found a way to stick together and started to make the right reads to take control of the game," star guard Kaylen Evans said.

Evans has been on an absolute tear for the Panthers, and she posted a game-high 22 points. Putting together quite the first-year with Morton College and averaging over 17 points a game, Evans has been connecting on several contested outside shots.

More than a shooter, the ability to keep defenses honest and drive to the hoop often creates open looks for her teammates. Evans connected on a trio of three-pointers that helped open the floodgates in the second half. 

The game was highly competitive, with a fast-paced 33-30 score at the half. 

The Panther defense rose to the occasion while limiting opportunities for the Cougars. There were a few impressive runs, and the No. 2 ranked squad made the most of them in their victory.

Four reached double figures, including the scorching sophomore guard Jalyssa Carrasco. After 15 points and five three-pointers in their victory over Governors State JV, the Panther guard posted 14 points in the double-digit Friday night win.

Mia Simpson added 14 points, and Claire Hyde posted 13 points and a pair of three-pointers to add to her NJCAA DII lead as the top three-point shooter. Hyde entered the game with more made three-pointers (29) than the Cougars had as a team (27).

Simpson led the NJCAA DII ranks last season in field-goal percentage. She continued her torrid pace, and the tremendous athletic ability has allowed her to make most of her high-percentage attempts.

"Our coaches had a great game plan, and we executed it as a team. We came into the third quarter with plenty of energy and better communication to make sure we put the nail in the coffin," Simpson said.

The 20-point third-quarter advantage proved pivotal and allowed them to rest a bit more in the fourth quarter to prepare for a highly-ranked Top 10 squad in Lake Land the following day.

The Panthers wasted no time to get off to a solid start on Saturday and led 33-26 at halftime over No. 6 Lake Land, but the third quarter again led to an impressive victory. 

"I am proud of how we played back-to-back games against the elite programs that are both ranked nationally. I am also really proud of our defensive effort. We made some strides this weekend against teams that can hurt you in multiple ways. However, we are far from perfect and need to improve, and I promise that will happen. Hopefully, this team recognizes what we need to work on to continue becoming a complete team. It doesn't get any easier with an up-and-coming Rock Valley team that will want to take us down after this difficult stretch. There is no time to relax," head coach Jason Nichols said.

Their balanced offense has made it a chore for defenses to limit their scorers. Anybody on the court for the No. 2 Panthers can reach double figures, and the squad ended up with four more during their 68-55 Saturday victory.

Simpson again played a vital role, dropping a game-high 16 points and dominating the paint against the No. 6 squad. 

"We knew these two consecutive games against ranked opponents was a grind. But we stayed locked in and never gave up on each other," Simpson added.

Evans and Hyde combined for 32, and three others registered points in the box score. Frannie Metz finished with 5 points, and Carrasco ended with 7 points after reaching double figures in her previous four games.

Coming off the bench this season, Jovanna Martinucci added 8 points and has been a solid contributor due to her ability on both ends of the court. 

Next up, the Panthers will be in for another showdown at the Henry J. Vais Gymanisum when they host Rock Valley College on Thursday (12/8).

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