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Western Illinois University Athletics

WBB_SDSU_FP
WIU Visual Productions Center
74
Winner South Dakota State SDSU 13-7 (4-3)
61
Western Illinois WIU 11-8 (3-3)
Winner
South Dakota State SDSU
13-7 (4-3)
74
Final
61
Western Illinois WIU
11-8 (3-3)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
South Dakota State SDSU 37 37 74
Western Illinois WIU 30 31 61

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

Second Half Run Pushes Jackrabbits Past Leathernecks

The Western Illinois women's basketball team returned home to start a four-game homestand Wednesday evening, as the Leathernecks played host to South Dakota State in league action.

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois women's basketball team returned home to start a four-game homestand Wednesday evening, as the Leathernecks played host to South Dakota State in Summit League action. After 11 ties and six lead changes, it was the Jackrabbits who emerged with a 74-61 victory. Western Illinois drops to 11-8 overall (3-3 Summit League) on the season while SDSU improves to 13-7 (4-3).

Ashley Luke paced the Leathernecks Wednesday as she finished with 20 points and seven rebounds. Luke, the reigning Summit League 'Player of the Week', extended her streak of scoring in double figures to 56 consecutive games. Michelle Maher had 11 points, four assists, and no turnovers at the point guard position while Liz Skotowski added 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

"We did not do enough things today to win a Summit League basketball game, regardless of the team we're playing," said head coach JD Gravina. "We missed 12 free throws, we got out-rebounded by 18 -- you have no chance to win when you get out-rebounded by 18. I didn't think we had the intensity we needed. We came out at the beginning of the second half with that intensity and it lasted four or five minutes and then it was back to the same old, same old. The thing is, when we don't shoot well, we lose our intensity. We've got to make it where it's opposite, where if we don't shoot well, we pick up our intensity and make things more difficult for them. We talked about stopping Miller and Waytashek in the second half, again we did a good job at the beginning of the second half we just lost focus on it. So, we've got a lot to work on for a big game on Saturday against North Dakota State."

After trailing by seven points at halftime, the Leathernecks stormed out of the gates in the opening minutes of the second half. The Purple and Gold used a 10-2 run over the opening 3:49 to take a 40-39 lead. The lead was the first for the Leathernecks since holding a 13-12 advantage midway through the first half. Veteran leadership paced the Western run, as Tori Niemann, Michelle Maher, and Ashley Luke combined for all 10 points.

Over the next four minutes, the game would see-saw back and forth, with neither team leading by more than four points during the stretch. 

In a game of runs, it was a second half run by the Jackrabbits that proved to be the difference. With the game tied at 48-all, the Jackrabbits used a 9-0 run to pull away from the Purple and Gold. Macy Miller scored six straight points for the Jackrabbits during the run. Western Illinois had no answer for Miller and Megan Waytashek, as the duo combined for 42 points on the evening.

The Jackrabbits were able to pull away for the 13-point victory thanks to a +18 rebound margin and a +18 advantage in the paint. SDSU recorded 50 of its 74 points down in the paint.

Western Illinois struggled shooting the ball from deep, going 4-of-21 from beyond the arc. The Purple and Gold also had a tough time at the charity stripe, finishing 13-of-25 for the game.

Western looks to get back to its winning ways on Saturday, January 24, as North Dakota State comes to town. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. inside Western Hall.

 
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