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Western Illinois University Athletics

Jasmine Patrick
Brian Ray, Iowa Athletics
81
Western Illinois WIU 2-1
96
Winner IOWA IOWA 3-0
Western Illinois WIU
2-1
81
Final
96
IOWA IOWA
3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 F
Western Illinois WIU 10 26 26 16 3 81
IOWA IOWA 21 28 14 15 18 96

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

Leathernecks Push No. 23 Hawkeyes to Overtime, Fall in Heartbreaker

Western erases 18-point deficit to push Iowa to edge in nonconference battle

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Western Illinois women's basketball team hit the road for the first time this season, as the Leathernecks took on the 23rd ranked Iowa Hawkeyes out of the Big Ten Conference. Down 18 in the closing minutes of the first half, the Purple and Gold stormed back to take a late lead on the Hawkeyes. But an Iowa 3-pointer in the closing seconds would send the game to overtime, where Iowa emerged with a 96-81 overtime victory. Western falls to 2-1 on the year while Iowa remains unbeaten at 3-0.
 
"I'm really proud of our team," said head coach JD Gravina. "Except for the one run in the first quarter and overtime, I thought we out-scrapped them. We gave ourselves a great opportunity to win the game on the road, against a ranked opponent, and that is what you want. Didn't quite knock down free throws in the second half and made a couple of defensive mistakes, so it's disappointing the way the game ended. I feel terrible for our team. Coach Lisa Bluder told me that they got lucky to win and I agree. We had that game won. There are a ton of positives to take away but right after the game you still feel pretty upset about it for the players."

Both teams started cold from the field, as the game was scoreless through the first 2:34 on a combined 0-of-8 shooting. Western would strike first, as Michelle Maher drove into the lane for an easy layup. Emily Clemens then connected on a triple as WIU built a 5-0 lead.
 
The Hawkeyes, a NCAA Sweet 16 a season ago, then began to hit their stride, as Iowa went on an 18-2 run over the final 4:12 of the opening quarter and first 36 seconds of the second period. Iowa would eventually build its lead to as many as 18 points, as Ally Disterhoft, a Preseason All-Big Ten honoree, went 1-of-2 from the free throw line with just over a minute remaining in the half. The Purple and Gold would gain some momentum heading into the locker room, as the Leathernecks tallied the final five points of the opening 20 minutes of play. Freshman Taylor Higginbotham hit a jumper with one minute left and Taylor McClintock hit a triple with 36 seconds left as Western would trail, 49-36, heading into halftime.
 
Out of the halftime break, a rejuvenated Leatherneck squad slowly began to chip away at the Iowa lead. Ciara Marlow came in off the bench and connected from beyond the arc to pull Western within 12 at 59-47. Marlow's triple would spark a 16-2 Western run over 3:22 to trim the Hawkeye advantage to just a single point.
 
McClintock and Michelle Farrow would tally back-to-back 3-pointers to open the fourth quarter scoring, and Sophie Reichelt would get a layup to fall as the Leathernecks took the lead at 70-65 with six minutes left in the game.
 
The Hawkeyes kept the game within reach and with four seconds left tied things up at 78-all following a 3-pointer from Whitney Jennings in the corner. The two teams headed to overtime, where the Leathernecks were unable to get anything going. The Purple and Gold were outscored 18-3 in the overtime period.
 
Three Leathernecks tallied 14 points apiece, as Farrow, Higginbotham, and Jasmine Patrick led the way. Mallory Boyle, one of three Iowa natives on the WIU roster, tallied a career-high 12 points.
 
Western returns to Macomb for a 7 p.m. match-up this Saturday (Nov. 21) against Chicago State. Fans who attend the WIU football game at 1 p.m. (vs. #5 South Dakota State) can bring their game ticket for free admission to the women's game that night.
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