ELSAH, Ill. – The W women's basketball team battled St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) frontrunner Principia College strong, before succumbing in the second half of an 86-66 loss at the Hay Field House. The loss dropped the Owls to 5-16 (4-9 SLIAC), while the Panthers improved to 15-8 (12-2 SLIAC).
 
The entire contest pivoted in 19 seconds that were a living heck to MUW, early in the third quarter. With 7:23 remaining in the period, The W leading scorer and rebounder Mia Bowen picked up her fourth personal foul, forcing her to the bench with her team down by just four points, 43-39. After a PC turnover, Conley Langford came the other way for the Owls and missed a layup at the 7:04 mark. Langford - the squad's four-year leader, and second in both scoring and rebounding this season – chased after her own miss, but tripped over a Panther player who had fallen to the ground. Langford, herself, went down in a heap with a lower body injury and had to be carried off the floor.
 
Bowen, although limited due to her foul situation, did return and finished the day with her 11th double-double of the season: 14 points and 11 rebounds. Langford did not return, booking nine points and six boards in 22 minutes on the floor.
 
With The W's dynamic duo derailed, the Panthers were able to finally pull away. Principia went on to outscore the Owls by a 43-27 margin in the final 17 minutes of play.
 
Fellow senior Calysia Phillips and freshman Jakayla Smith helped fill Langford's void. Phillips scored 14 points, while contributing mightily on defense with seven steals. Smith added 12 points.
 
Fantasia Wilson dished off six assists, to go along with her six points.
 
Bowen, the NCAA III national leader in blocked shots, added four more rejections versus the Panthers. Bowen now has 82 blocked shots (3.90 per game) in 2025-26.
 
The W team will next play at Westminster College on Monday (Feb. 16/5:30 p.m.) in a make-up game from the January 24 weather postponement.