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Western Illinois University Athletics

Higginbotham FP
50
Chicago State CSUW 0-4
88
Winner Western Illinois WIU 3-1
Chicago State CSUW
0-4
50
Final
88
Western Illinois WIU
3-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Chicago State CSUW 10 12 16 12 50
Western Illinois WIU 22 15 31 20 88

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

Leathernecks Cruise Past Chicago State, 88-50

Record-tying 17 3-pointers leads the way for Western Illinois past Cougars

MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois women's basketball team record-tying 17 made 3-pointers led the way Saturday (Nov. 21) evening, as the Leathernecks cruised past Chicago State, 88-50. Freshman Taylor Higginbotham notched her second 20-point game of the season for Western Illinois (3-1), as the team never trailed against Chicago State (0-3).
 
"Obviously, I thought that was a fun game. We knocked down a lot of shots and I thought we played with pretty good urgency offensively," said head coach JD Gravina. "I was on our kids a lot to stay intense, but I thought we did a good job. It's a little tough when you have a 30-point lead for a good part of the second half to keep that intensity. Chicago State did a good job of attacking those offensive boards and that's something we struggle with and I really wanted to work on that. I don't think we did the best we can do on the offensive boards. So there are still things we need to work through that we can take away. I'm really happy with the depth of this team, I love the way we play together."
 
Coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to No. 23 Iowa just two days prior, the Purple and Gold struggled at the outset. Layne Murphy drove in the lane for an easy layup to cut the WIU lead to just a single point at 11-10 with 3:30 left in the opening quarter, forcing a timeout by Gravina.
 
The team responded with a 14-2 run, which spanned the final 2:50 of the first period and opening 1:06 of the second quarter. WIU's run was sparked by a pair of Taylors, as Higginbotham and Taylor McClintock each connected on a pair of triples from beyond the arc. McClintock wounld end the night with a season-high 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 4-of-7 from long distance.
 
Leading by a 37-22 margin at halftime, Western Illinois opened the doors wide open in the third quarter behind a 23-2 Leatherneck run over 4:54 of game time. Five different players scored for the Purple and Gold during the run as the team connected on five triples (seven in the quarter). The team would close out the evening by outscoring the Cougars 20-12 in the final frame for the 38-point victory.
 
Western featured a balanced lineup, as four Leathernecks scored in double figures, and 10 of the 11 players dressed recorded 10 or more minutes of action. Higginbotham's 21 points led the way but was closely followed by Michelle Maher (18), Sophie Reichelt (16), and McClintock (16).
 
The Leathernecks matched their single-game high for most 3-pointers for the third time overall - and second time this year - with 17 made triples Saturday evening. WIU shot a blistering 17-of-38 from behind the arc while preventing Chicago State from making a single 3-pointer (0-of-12). For the game, Western shot at a 47.1 percent clip from the field (33-of-70).
 
Western Illinois returns to action on Tuesday, November 24, as the Leathernecks play host to Southeast Missouri State for the second-annual 'Elementary Day'. Tip-off against the Redhawks is set for 11 a.m. and the game is free to all ages.
  
 
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