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Western Illinois University Athletics

Emily Clemens
WIU Visual Productions Center
79
Winner Western Illinois WIU 7-6
64
Illinois State ILS 2-9
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
7-6
79
Final
64
Illinois State ILS
2-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western Illinois WIU 21 18 18 22 79
Illinois State ILS 8 12 15 29 64

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

Career-Highs Lead Leathernecks to Victory Over Illinois State

Emily Clemens (22 points) and Mallory Boyle (15) tally career-highs as Western closes out 2015 with 79-64 victory

NORMAL, Ill. – Emily Clemens and Mallory Boyle tallied career-highs and the Western Illinois women's basketball team led wire-to-wire in its final nonconference tune-up Monday (December 28) evening, defeating Illinois State, 79-64. The Purple and Gold, who close out the 2015 schedule with the in-state victory, move to 7-6 heading into Summit League play, while the Redbirds fall to 2-11 on the year.
 
Four Leathernecks scored in double figures, led by Clemens' 22 points, topping her previous career-best of 13. The sophomore was 5-of-5 from beyond the arc, besting her previous career-high for 3-pointers in a game (2, set twice). Boyle also recorded a career-high as she added 15 points. The junior, whose previous career-high was 12, fell one rebound shy of a double-double with nine on the night. Sophie Reichelt and Michelle Maher each added 14 points. Reichelt added nine boards while Maher dished out five assists while registering zero turnovers.

"I thought our team played really well, especially in the first three quarters," said head coach JD Gravina. "We were treating this as a conference game because I think Illinois State is a similar team to some teams in our conference. So prep-wise, mentality-wise, we wanted to try and use this to get off to a good start, and I thought we did that. Emily (Clemens) had her best game as a Leatherneck. When your 5'5" kid gets seven rebounds that really says something about her mentality. Mallory (Boyle) was rebounding really well, as was Sophie (Reichelt)."
 
The Purple and Gold showed no signs of rust following a week off from competition, as the team scored the game's first seven points and shot 50 percent (7-of-14) from the field in the first quarter. Maher opened the game's scoring with a pair from the charity stripe before Boyle was left open in the paint for a layup. Reichelt then banked in a triple from the wing to push WIU's lead to 7-0 2:04 into the game.
               
Western Illinois extended its first quarter advantage in the second quarter, as a 9-0 Purple and Gold run helped WIU build a 39-20 lead heading into halftime. Taylor Higginbotham split a pair of free throws before Clemens connected on a triple, her third of the game. Boyle, Maher, and Ciara Marlow all got layups to drop as the Purple and Gold built their lead to as many as 20 in the opening half.
 
WIU offense continued to click in the second half as a 12-3 run to open the third quarter extended the Western lead to 28, the highest in the game. Maher and Boyle tallied triples, while Reichelt, Boyle, and Taylor Higginbotham tallied buckets for the visiting Leathernecks, as WIU led by 22 heading into the final quarter.
 
The Redbirds tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring Western, 29-22. The comeback effort fell short, as Western closed out the 15-point victory.
 
Western won the battle from beyond the arc, shooting 40 percent (10-of-25) while limiting the Redbirds to just 2-of-13 shooting (15.4%).
 
Western Illinois rings in the New Year with its Summit League opener on Friday, January 1, as Oral Roberts heads to Macomb. Tip-off between the Leathernecks and Golden Eagles (3-9) is set for 7 p.m. inside Western Hall.
 
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