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WBB_Eureka_FP
WIU Visual Productions Center
50
Eureka ECWB 4-5, 1-2
91
Winner Western Illinois WIU 7-5
Eureka ECWB
4-5, 1-2
50
Final
91
Western Illinois WIU
7-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Eureka ECWB 29 21 50
Western Illinois WIU 49 42 91

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks Cruise Past Eureka, 91-50

Five players score in double figures as Western Illinois drops Division III Eureka College

MACOMB, Ill. - Five players scored in double-figures Sunday afternoon (Dec. 21) as Western Illinois cruised to a 91-50 women's basketball victory over Eureka inside Western Hall. The Leathernecks improve to 7-5 on the season while the Red Devils drop to 4-5 with the loss.

"I think we got what we wanted to out of that game. We would have liked to have done some things better, especially shooting and a few things defensively," said head coach JD Gravina. "We did force 24 turnovers and we held them to 30 percent shooting. Probably the best thing was we had 26 assists. That's a good clip. We did a good job sharing the ball and sometimes to a fault. At times everyone was shooting as an afterthought or scoring as an afterthought instead of keeping that as a main thought, that's really big in preparation for what's almost like a conference game against Milwaukee and then onto the conference schedule at Fort Wayne."

Sophie Reichelt led all scorers with 21 points while Michelle Maher (13), Tori Niemann (12), Emily Clemens (10) and Ashley Luke (10) all reached the 10 point mark. Luke recorded her fourth consecutive double-double (and fifth this season) as she hauled in a game-high 15 rebounds. The Oak Creek, Wisconsin, native has now scored in double-figures in 49 consecutive games.

The quintet of Leathernecks to score 10 or more points marks the first time it has been done in almost a year, as six Leathernecks dropped 10-plus points against St. Francis on Jan. 8, 2014.

Niemann scored on a layup three seconds into the game and set the tone for what was to come the rest of the first half. It appeared as though Western was on its way to a career day from beyond the arc as the team hit three shots from beyond the arc in the opening three minutes, and nine field goals from deep in the opening 20 minutes. For the game, Western would knock down 12 shots from beyond the arc, shooting 30.8 percent for the game (12-of-39).

At the half, Western led comfortably, 49-29, its second highest scoring half of the season. The Purple and Gold posted an impressive 15-4 assist to turnover ratio and held a 16-6 advantage in the paint in the opening frame.

The second half had a similar tone as the first half, as the Leathernecks outscored the Red Devils, 42-21. All 13 players who were dressed saw game action Sunday, and no one played more than 22 minutes. Western dominated in the pain, holding a 42-14 advantage down low. Western also out gained the Red Devils in points off turnover (23-8), 2nd chance points (16-4), and fast break points (21-2).

The 91 points on Sunday marked the most points scored this season for Western and the second time that Western reached the 90-point mark, as Western dropped 90 points in a victory over Chicago State.

Western Illinois closes out its non-conference slate Tuesday evening, playing host to Milwaukee inside Western Hall. Tip-off is slated for a 5:30 p.m. start and will take place prior to the WIU men's game against Anderson (Ind.).




 

 
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