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Western Illinois University Athletics

Sophie Reichelt
WIU Visual Productions Center
83
Winner Towson TOWSON 2-3
77
Western Ill. WIU 3-3
Winner
Towson TOWSON
2-3
83
Final
77
Western Ill. WIU
3-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Towson TOWSON 16 25 21 21 83
Western Ill. WIU 15 20 23 19 77

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

Women's Basketball Falls to Towson at North Florida Classic

Career days from Sophie Reichelt and Mallory Boyle not enough as Tigers edge Leathernecks

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Career days from Sophie Reichelt and Mallory Boyle were not enough for the Western Illinois women's basketball team as the Leathernecks dropped an 83-77 decision to Towson in the first day of the North Florida Thanksgiving Classic. Western, who has now dropped two consecutive contests, sits at 3-3 on the season while Towson secured its second-straight victory to move to 2-3 on the year.
 
"Towson is a good team and shot the ball better than they have shot it all year," said head coach JD Gravina. "Some of those shots were unguarded, some were guarded, but what it boils down to is that we have to be at a 10 in intensity. If we are at a nine, we are a 12 or 13 win team. If we are at a 10, we are a really good team and there isn't much room for error there on the emotion and passion. So I have to challenge our players to have that every single game."
 
Reichelt, who scored a then career-high 29 points against Florida Atlantic the last time the Leathernecks invaded the Sunshine State, shined again for the Purple and Gold. The senior forward dropped a career-best 34 points on 13-of-20 shooting (3-of-7 from beyond the arc) and brought in seven rebounds to lead Western against Towson. The 34-point effort ranks tied for sixth all-time in single game scoring, falling four points shy of matching the single game record of 38 set by Lori Haskett in 1996.
 
Mallory Boyle had one of her best games as a Leatherneck, despite behind held scoreless. The New Sharon, Iowa, native hauled in a career-high 14 rebounds, a tally that ranks tops on the team this season, while blocking a career-best four shots. Boyle also added four steals and three assists in 35 minutes of action.
 
Reichelt went to work early for Western, scoring 10 of the team's first 12 points of the game to help build an 12-8 lead just over six minutes into the game. Moments later Emily Clemens connected on a triple out of the corner to extend Western's lead to five, the biggest lead it would have on the afternoon. Towson countered with the final six points of the quarter to take a 16-15 lead after one quarter of action.
 
The Tigers would extend the lead to as many as eight in the second period, but Western responded with an 11-2 run over three minutes to regain the lead momentarily. Reichelt and Liz Skotowski connected on 3-pointers to spark the run, and Skotowski would tally her first 10-point game of the year as she finished the day with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from deep. Towson tallied 12 of the final 17 points of the half to take a 41-35 lead into halftime, a lead the Tigers would not relinquish.
 
Throughout the second half, Towson tried to pull away on a handful of occasions, but Western had a response each time. On five separate occasions the Leathernecks were able to get within a point, and evened the score on another occasion, but Towson was able to end the WIU threat each time.
 
Michelle Maher moved into fifth place on the all-time assists list Friday afternoon, as her five assists give her 345 in her storied career in the Purple and Gold. Maher also added 12 points and only turned the ball over once while taking care of the point guard duties.
 
Western wraps up North Florida Classic play on Saturday, November 28, as the Purple and Gold face Bethune-Cookman at 1 p.m. (ET).
 
 
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