PHOTO GALLERY
MACOMB, Ill. – In an overtime thriller, JD Gravina picked up his 200th career win as the Leathernecks defeated Oral Roberts 76-72 at home Saturday (Jan. 7).
A pair of Emily Clemens free throws sealed the game with 2.6 seconds to go for the four-point win.
"It was a great start to the conference season. I think they [Oral Roberts] are one of the teams that can win this league, so it was good to get a win against them," said head coach JD Gravina. "I don't really pay attention to it [the milestone] but to get it in overtime made it even more special. They are a tough team to battle against. We didn't give up, and I thought our toughness has been a reason we've been able to win some close games."
As both teams traded baskets in a shootout, an 8-0 run in the final 2:40 of the second quarter put Western ahead 41-34 at the half. Taylor Higginbotham led the way with 18 first-half points for the second consecutive time, while Olivia Braun set a new career-high with five blocks.
Western Illinois (13-4, 3-1) opened the third with a quick score off an assist from Braun to Blumer, which put the Purple and Gold up 43-34. Oral Roberts cut Western's lead to five with 3:46 to go in the third. The lead was 54-48 in favor of the Leathernecks after three quarters of play.
With 6:44 to go, Blumer knocked down a three to make it a 61-55 game, but the Golden Eagles rallied back and tied the score at 61-all after an 8-0 run. With under a minute to play, Clemens got a steal and went coast-to-coast to put Western up by two, but Oral Roberts responded.
Tied 65-65, Clemens dribbled the ball at center-court with 29.7 seconds to go and hold for the last shot. Her shot was no good and Boyle grabbed the offensive board for a quick putback, but the ball rimmed out as time expired in regulation.
In overtime, Michelle Farrow sank a long 3-pointer and put the Leathernecks up 68-65 with 3:38 to go. WIU led by four with 40 seconds to go, but an Oral Roberts and-1 made it a 72-70 game. The lead was back to four after Clemens netted a pair of free throws, followed by another Golden Eagle basket with 4.3 remaining. With possession, the ball was inbounded to Clemens and she was fouled with 2.6 to go, and she walked to the charity stripe. The junior point guard sank both foul shots to give Western its third Summit League win of the season.
"Emily Clemens made a lot of things happen for us down the stretch, and Olivia Braun is just such a great basket-protector," said Gravina. "Nine blocks really changed the game for us and made her effective down low against the zone. It was a very hard-fought and exciting game. The offensive rebounds they [Oral Roberts] had in the second half kept them in the game, and that's what they do best.
"At the end of the day, we made plays to win the game. Overall, we made some really big plays down the stretch. You look at Michelle Farrow coming in and knocking down that huge three and then the jumper. She was one of the heroes at the Northern Illinois game and she did it again. Morgan [Blumer] stepped up her rebounding."
Both Emily Clemens and Taylor Higginbotham each led the way with a game-high 20 points. The duo was also one assist and a rebound shy of being the second and third Leathernecks to record double-doubles in the contest along with Morgan Blumer, who totaled 19 points and 11 rebounds. Clemens also eclipsed the 800-point mark in her career, while Higginbotham surpassed 600 career points. With nine blocks, Olivia Braun recorded the second-most blocks in a single-game, just one shy of Zane Teilane, who had 10 twice (2003 and 2006).
Oral Roberts (10-6, 2-1) had four in double figures, which included Maria Martianez (double-double of 18 points and 15 rebounds) and Faith Ihim (14 points). Kaylan Mayberry and Hillary Hurst each added 13 points in the game.
The Leathernecks return to action Wednesday, Jan. 11 for a road matchup at Omaha scheduled for 7 p.m. The Purple and Gold follow up with a home game vs. North Dakota State Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m.
PROGRAM NOTES:
-JD Gravina picked up his 200th career win as a head coach… the win also marks his 86th at Western Illinois…
-11 team blocks is tied for third all-time in program history (11-vs. Indiana State Dec. 20, 2003)…
-8-0 home record is four shy of the most consecutive home wins in program history…Leathernecks are also 11-0 when leading at halftime and 3-0 in games decided by 3-5 points…
PLAYER NOTES:
-Emily Clemens' 20 points puts her over the 800-point mark in her career (811 total)… ninth career 20-plus point performance (12th in her career)… 12th five-plus assist game this season (her career 27th)… 16th double-digit scoring game this season (her career 31st)… eighth game this season as a scoring leader (11th career)… third career 40-plus minute game (all this season)… 45 minutes is a season high… one assist shy of a double-double
-Olivia Braun's nine blocks is a new career high… nine blocks ranks second all-time in program history for blocks in a single game behind Zane Teilane's 10 (twice in '03 and '06)…
-Morgan Blumer's 19 points and 11 rebounds marks her second-career double-double… also marks her 15th career double-digit scoring game and ninth career time to lead her team in rebounding…
-Taylor Higginbotham recorded back-to-back 20-plus point performances in a single game…20 points put her over 600 career points (615 in her career)… one rebound shy of a double-double…tied her season-high of four made 3-point field goals for the third time… also tied season high of three steals for the fourth time this season…
