East Peoria, IL - Addy Engel's 16 points and seven rebounds along with Lily Luczkowiak's 14 points led the eighth-ranked Illinois Central College Women's Basketball team (15-4, 5-0) to a 75-56 victory over John Wood (7-12, 2-4) in Region 24 action on Thursday night. 

Engel and Luczkowiak got ICC on the board early, combining for 10 points. Kamryn Heider knocked down a four-point play (her second in five days) as the teams played to an 18-all tie. The Cougars finished the quarter on a run thanks to an Addi Swadinsky layup (assist Larissa Taylor) and Savannah Orgeron trey (assist Swadinsky) to grab a 25-18 lead. 

ICC put the clamps on defensively to get rolling in the second quarter for some breathing room. Orgeron had two scores, Engel nailed a trey (assist Cora DeSutter), and both Taylor and DeSutter scored two buckets inside. Gracie Heckert splashed in a three-pointer for a 45-27 halftime advantage. 

A Luczkowiak layup gave the Cougars their largest lead at 48-27 at the 7:24 mark, but then ICC went cold, just as John Wood was heating up. The Blazers used a 16-2 run over the course of the next five minutes to close their deficit to 50-43 with 2:40 in the third. An Engel basket (assist Lauren Maas) and two baskets by Kaitlin White gave ICC a 56-46 edge heading into the fourth quarter. 

The final stanza was a bit of a roller coaster, as ICC started well, dipped in the middle, and then finished strong. Engel, Taylor, Heider, and Emily Dana all scored to push the lead back to 66-46 with 6:35 to play. However, the Blazers hit back-to-back treys along with free throws to draw within 67-56, but free throws by Engel and four points by Swadinsky carried the Cougars to the finish. 

COUGAR STATISTICS
Addy Engel | 16 points, 7 rebounds (career-high), 2 assists
Lily Luczkowiak | 14 points, 3 steals
Savannah Orgeron | 9 points, 2 rebounds (eclipsed 600 career points in the win)
Addi Swadinsky | 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Cora DeSutter | 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Larissa Taylor | 5 points, 12 rebounds (career-high), 3 blocks, 2 assists
Kaitlin White | 5 points
Gracie Heckert | 3 points
Emily Dana | 2 points
Lauren Maas | 2 rebounds, 3 assists
Madison Jobe | 3 rebounds

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
@ #24 Parkland Cobras (12-8, 4-2)
Saturday, January 25th - 1:00 PM
at Dodds Complex - Champaign, IL
Watch Live (HUDL-TV)
Listen Live (Mixlr)