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MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois ended a four-game homestand Saturday night (Feb. 5) with a Summit League loss to IPFW, 67-56. The Fighting Leathernecks (7-16 overall, 2-10 Summit) dropped their sixth straight game.

The Leathernecks jumped out to an early lead thanks to balanced scoring. Jack Houpt scored five quick points, Matt Lander hit a free throw, Jelani Johnson hit a jumper and Kaimarr Price hit two baskets (including one to give Western a 12-11 lead). The Mastodons (15-8, 9-4) went on a 17-2 run over the next five minutes and never looked back.

Price hit two free throws cutting the deficit to 28-18 but IPFW would hit 3-of-4 free throws to follow. Mael Amenyedzi hit the second of two free throws, then before the buzzer Zach Plackemeier drained a long 3-pointer to make it a 15-point halftime lead.

IPFW shot free throws on seven of Western's eight fouls, converting 12-of-14 attempts. The Mastodons shot 45 percent from the field while Western was at 38.9 percent. Both teams reached double-digit turnovers by halftime - Western 11 and IPFW 10.

Ben Botts hit a 3-pointer at the start of the half. Price and Johnson hit consecutive baskets but Frank Gaines made a '3' then Botts converted a three-point play and hit a 3-pointer. After Gaines' fastbreak layup IPFW had what would be its largest lead of the game at 48-25.

Down by 19 in the final four minutes Lander took over. The senior guard hit 7-of-7 free throws and drained a 25-footer within a three minute span to account for the final margin.

Western out-scored IPFW by four points in the second half, but according to head coach Jim Molinari, the beginning of the game and a season-high 19 turnovers were a factor.

"We got to figure out how to start games more aggressively. We did not do that tonight. It shows in turnovers, it shows in nobody attacking the paint and it shows that we do not post aggressively," said Molinari. "Nothing is aggressive at the start of the game. We just got to look at how we can do that better... At halftime I asked them to fight and I thought we fought real hard in the second half."

Price scored in double-figures for the fifth straight game, netting a team-high 17 points while blocking a career-high three shots. He hit 6-of-12 field goals and 5-of-8 at the line.

Lander's 10 points to close out of the game was part of his 15 in the second half and 16 points overall. He hit 9-of-11 free throws and dished out four assists. Houpt finished with nine points and Johnson matched his career-high of four assists.

Western shot 58 percent in the second half, 48.6 percent for the game, while IPFW ended at 42.2 percent FG. The Mastodons made 8-of-20 from beyond the arc and 21-of-29 at the line.

Gaines made 8-of-9 free throws, totaling a game-high 20 points. Botts added 15 and Jeremy Mixon scored 12 off the bench.

The Leathernecks travel to the Dakotas next weekend, starting with a Thursday night (Feb. 10) game at North Dakota State.