WHAT'S UP? The Western Illinois women's basketball team returns home for an in-state battle against UIC on Saturday, December 12. The contest between the Leathernecks (6-4) and Flames (5-1) is set to tip-off at 4:30 p.m. and will immediately follow the WIU men's basketball game against Eastern Illinois.
UGLY SWEATER DOUBLEHEADER: The Western Illinois women's and men's teams will be playing in a doubleheader Saturday, with the men playing Eastern Illinois prior to the women's contest against UIC. Saturday is also Ugly Sweater Day inside Western Hall, as fans are encouraged to wear their ugly Christmas sweaters to the game.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Radio: 94.3 WRMS FM (online at wrmsfm.com)
Video: ESPN3
Live Stats: SidearmStats
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: UIC, winners of three straight contests, head to Macomb with a 5-1 record. Last time out, the Flames dropped in-state foe Bradley by a final score of 66-56. The team is led by senior forward Ruvanna Campbell, who was named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year a year ago while also being named a First Team All-Horizon League honoree. Campbell averages 20.7 points per game and 13.2 rebounds per contest for the Flames, who are led by fifth year head coach Regina Miller.
SERIES HISTORY: Western Illinois and UIC have met 20 times previously with the two schools splitting the all-time series, 10-10. The two teams met last season on December 4, with UIC taking a 67-54 decision in Chicago. Michelle Maher scored a team-high 12 points in the defeat while Michelle Farrow added eight points off the bench for the Purple and Gold.
LAST TIME OUT: A key 15-2 run late in the second-half proved to be the difference maker Tuesday (Dec. 8) evening, as the Leathernecks dropped a 78-67 decision to North Dakota. Sophie Reichelt tallied a team-high 17 points for the Leathernecks, who fell to 6-4 on the season. With 1:38 remaining in the third quarter, McClintock connected on a 3-pointer, one of three in the game for the sophomore, to pull Western within four. On the ensuing possession, Emily Clemens picked the pocket of Makailah Dyer and took the ball the length of the court for the fast break layup to cut the deficit to just two points with 1:24 remaining in the third. The Fighting Hawks put an end to Western's comeback effort as the hosts tallied the final five points of the quarter to lead by seven heading into the fourth. The 5-0 run kick-started an eventual 15-2 North Dakota run that spanned 5:10 of game action put WIU down by 15. The Leathernecks fought until the very end, as the Purple and Gold tallied the final eight points of the game. The run was not enough as the Leathernecks would drop an 11 point decision.
THREES FOR DAYS: The Leathernecks are one of the most prolific 3-point shooting teams in the country, as the team ranks first nationally in 3-point field goals attempted (341), made (119), and ranks second nationally in 3-point field goals per game (11.9). Michelle Farrow leads the way with 22 made triples (2nd-best in The Summit League) while Taylor Higginbotham's 43.5 3-point field goal percentage ranks second among qualified shooters in the league.
SENIOR LEADERS: The Leathernecks are led by a pair of veteran seniors in Michelle Maher and Sophie Reichelt. Reichelt currently leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.9 and 7.0 rebounds per game while Maher, who has started 97-of-99 career games at Western, is second on the team in scoring (14.7). Maher also runs the offense, as her 47 assists are tops for the Leathernecks. The duo have combined to tally 306 points this year, a number which accounts for 36.6 percent of Western's scoring.
1,000-POINT CLUB: In Western Illinois' 78-74 victory over SIU-Edwardsville, senior Michelle Maher became the 15th 1,000-point scorer in program history when she connected on a 3-pointer with 5:08 remaining in the first quarter. Maher currently sits in 11th place on the all-time scoring list with 1,131 career points.
NEWCOMERS SHINE IN DEBUT: In Western Illinois' season opener against Central Methodist, three Leathernecks made their Purple and Gold debut. Freshman Taylor Higginbotham came off the bench to shine, as she led all scorers with 25 points on 5-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc and 9-of-12 shooting from the field. After sitting out last year due to NCAA transfer rules, sophomore Taylor McClintock stepped onto the court for the first time against Central Methodist, finishing with 10 points in 20 minutes of action. Junior Jasmine Patrick transferred to Western following two seasons at Grossmont College, and she made an impact with 10 points and matching the game-high in rebounds with nine. Higginbotham has maintained her success, as she has scored in double figures in eight of Western's nine contests this season.
MAHER EARNS PRESEASON RECOGNITION: Senior guard Michelle Maher earned preseason accolades leading up to the start of the season, as she was named Preseason Second Team All-Summit League. Maher enters her final season in the Purple and Gold as Western's all-time leader in three-point field goals. As a junior, Maher led the team in assists (122) and minutes per game (30.5). A three-year starter for Western, Maher currently ranks fifth in program history in career assists with 360.
IMPROVEMENT UNDER GRAVINA: In his first four years at the helm of the women's basketball program, head coach JD Gravina has been one of the most successful coaches in program history, as his 57 career wins in four seasons at Western are tied for the most of any coach over their first three seasons in charge. Now in his fifth season, Gravina sits in in third place for career wins with 61. Gravina's 2014-15 squad ended the season with a 10-4 mark inside Western Hall which ranked as tied for the second-most home victories since the 2004-05 team posted a perfect 12-0 mark at home.
LEATHERNECKS INK TWO: Head coach JD Gravina announced the signing of guards Sam Pryor and Andi Pierce on Thursday, November 12. Pryor and Pierce, who will both wrap up their prep careers this spring, will join the Leatherneck family in the fall of 2016. Pryor, a 6'0" guard, is a native of Elgin, Illinois. A member of Burlington Central High School, Pryor was an All-Conference selection as a junior and an All-Area honoree the past three seasons. As a sophomore, Pryor was named Second Team AP All-State, and Third Team IBCA All-State. As a junior, she repeated as a Second Team AP All-State selection, while also being named to the IBCA Second Team All-State team. Pierce, a 5'11" guard, is a native of Garber, Oklahoma. As a junior for Garber High School, Pierce averaged 23.4 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per contest for the Wolverines. Pierce shot 48 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc. Pierce also made a team-high 50 3-pointers, while also leading the team in steals and assists.
WHAT IS A LEATHERNECK?: Western Illinois holds the distinction of being the only non-military institution to officially have its nickname derived from a branch of the military service. The school began use of the Marine Corps' official nickname, "The Fighting Leathernecks", in 1927 when then-athletic director and head baseball, basketball and football coach Ray "Rock" Hanson was granted permission by the U.S. Navy, based on his status as a Marine hero, to use the Marine's official seal, bulldog mascot and nickname. |
