GRINNELL, Iowa - The fourth and final spot for the Midwest Conference Women's Basketball Tournament will be a dogfight in the final week-and-a-half of the season following Tuesday's games.

Grinnell College dropped a 74-62 decision to Illinois College at Darby Gymnasium, sending the Pioneers to 7-6 in the league and 10-11 in all games. The Lady Blues are just one game back at 6-7 in the MWC and 10-12 overall.

Tied with Grinnell for fourth place is Cornell College, which lost to league leader Ripon College on Tuesday.

Things looked great for Grinnell early in Tuesday's game, as Skylar Thomas '26 opened the second period with a 3-pointer to put the hosts ahead 12-8. The Pioneers got their biggest lead of the game later in the period when buckets by Ava Wu '29 and Juniper Schwartzman '27 made it a 23-17 edge.

But the Lady Blues closed the half with a furious rally and were up 32-25 at intermission. Grinnell trailed by nine midway through the third quarter, but a pair of 3-pointers by Bailey Strovers '27 and layup by Cassidy Pak '28 brought the hosts within 40-39 at the 4:30 mark.

But the visitors responded and led 55-46 after three quarters and upped the lead in the final stanza.

Wu had an impressive night, scoring a career-high 20 points with the aid of four treys. Strovers added 14 points and Thomas had 10. Schwartzman grabbed 11 boards, Reese Stephens '27 contributed two steals and Schwartzman, Stephens and Carolyn Pierce '27 all had two assists.

Grinnell is on the road Saturday, playing at Lake Forest College at 3 p.m.