MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks close out the regular season on Saturday, February 28, as the Leathernecks take on South Dakota. The Leathernecks enter the final contest in a tie for third place in the Summit League standings with a 9-6 league record (17-11 overall) while South Dakota has claimed at least a share of the regular season title with a 12-3 record (22-6 overall). Tip-off between the Leathernecks and Coyotes is set for 1:30 p.m. inside the DakotaDome

BROADCAST INFORMATION: 
Live Radio: Leatherneck Sports Network (94.3 FM WRMS or wrmsfm.com)
Video: ESPN Full Court or ESPN3 (T.V. or Internet subscription required)
Live Stats: GoYotes.com

SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA: South Dakota enters Saturday's contest guaranteed of at least a share of the regular season title of The Summit League as the Coyotes are 12-3 in league action (22-6 overall). USD is headlined by Raeshel Contreras and Nicole Seekamp as the average 15.6 and 14.3 points per game, respectively. Margaret McCloud leads the attack on the boards as she brings in a team-high 6.3 rebounds per contest. Last time out, the Coyotes knocked off IUPUI by a 69-53 final in a game in which two players (Seekamp and Lisa Loeffler) scored in double figures while three other players finished with nine points. The team is led by Amy Williams who is in her third year as the head coach.

SERIES HISTORY: Saturday will mark the 9th ever meeting between the two programs with USD holding a 7-1 advantage in the series. Western picked up its lone win in the series inside the DakotaDome last season, an 81-71 victory last season. On January 10 of this year, the two teams met for the first time this season with the Coyotes defeating Western by a 101-87 final. Ashley Luke recorded a double double in the contest, tallying a season-high 34 points and adding 15 rebounds. Tori Niemann contributed 16 points while Michelle Maher and Sophie Reichelt each scored 11 points in the contest. 

LAST TIME OUT: The The Western Illinois women's basketball team who entered the contest tied for third in The Summit League, were unable to come away with victory as the Jackrabbits walked away with a 69-49 decision. Western falls to 9-6 in Summit League play (17-11 overall) while SDSU moved to 11-4 in the league (20-8 overall). With one regular season game remaining, Western remains tied for third in the league with IUPUI, who fell at league leading South Dakota Thursday night. SDSU remains one game behind South Dakota for the top spot in The Summit League. Ashley Luke recorded her 19th double double of the season in the losing effort as she tallied game-highs in points (18) and rebounds (11, seven offensive), while also picking up three assists, two blocks, and a steal. Luke has now recorded a double double in nine consecutive games, and 18 of the past 20 contests, and extended her streak of games scoring in double figures to 65-straight. It was a closely contested game out of the gate, as Emily Clemens' free throw with 12:18 remaining in the half cut the Jackrabbit lead to 15-13. South Dakota State would proceed to go on a 17-3 run over the next 7:55 of game action to take control of the first half with a 32-16 advantage. At the half, SDSU held a 35-22 lead after shooting 48.1% from the field (13-of-27) in the opening 20 minutes. The first 10 minutes of the second half remained a double-digit lead for South Dakota State, as the two teams traded baskets back and forth. Western looked poised to make a run to get back into the game, as a 6-0 spurt over 33 seconds cut the Jackrabbit lead to single digits at 51-42. Luke converted the old-fashioned three point play as she was fouled while scoring to get the run started and Tori Niemann connected on a triple seconds later. Niemann ended the game as Western's only other player in double figures as she finished with 12 points. The momentum was short-lived, as SDSU answered with six unanswered points and closed out the final minutes of the game en route to the 20-point victory.

LUKE NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA OF THE YEAR: It was announced on Feb. 26 that junior Ashley Luke was honored as the Division I women's basketball Capital One Academic All-America of the Year, as presented by CoSIDA. After being named a Third Team honoree a year ago, Luke becomes the first person from Western Illinois to be recognized with the award and first women's recipient of the award in Summit League history. The accolade comes in a season in which Luke has led the Leathernecks both on and off the court. Luke graduated in December of this season with a 4.0 GPA and bachelors degrees in journalism and political science. Now pursuing a masters degree, Luke is leading the team in points per game (19.5), rebounds per game (11.4), and blocks (31). Luke's assists (68) and steals (42) both rank second on the team and her 135 offensive rebounds are the second most in Division I this season.

REPRESENTING ILLINOIS: The 2014-15 WIU record of 17-11 is one of the best this year in comparison to other universities in Illinois. Of the 10 public universities in the state of Illinois that participate in Division I women's basketball, Western Illinois' 17 victories are tied for the most among the institutions while the 11 loses is tied for the fewest among those institutions. Western Illinois also has more victories over one private university (Loyola), and only trail DePaul and Northwestern (both private) for the outright lead among Illinois universities.

BEST SINCE 06: The 2014-15 season is shaping up to be the best season of Leatherneck Basketball in almost a decade. Western's 17 wins are the most wins in a single since since the 2005-06 season in which the Leathernecks went 23-7 and competed in the WNIT. The Purple and Gold have had two winning streaks reach four games long this season, the first time since the 05-06 campaign in which a Leatherneck team has had two winning streaks in a season reach four games.

THE STREAK CONTINUES: Dating back to the end of her freshman campaign, Ashley Luke has been one of the most consistent players in the country, as she has registered 65 straight games of 10 or more points. During the streak, Luke has scored exactly 10 points twice, 11-15 points 14 times, 16-20 points 24 times, 21-25 points 14 times, 25-30 points seven times, and 31+ points four times. Her career-high is 35 points, which she scored against South Dakota in the first round of the 2014 Summit League Tournament. Luke's streak is the second-longest known streak in the nation, with Kelsey Minato of Army's streak of 76-straight games (through Feb. 26) being the only known streak longer than Luke's.

MAHER BREAKS THE RECORD: In Western Illinois' victory over Denver on Jan. 15, Michelle Maher became the program leader in career three pointers, passing Amanda Walker for the top spot. A 5-of-7 shooting performance against the Pioneers gave Maher 147 career three pointers, surpassing Walker's career total of 146. In her career, Maher has knocked down 159 triples. 

LONG BALL AMONG NATIONS BEST: Western Illinois has found success from beyond the arc this season, having made 206 field goals from three-point range. The Leathernecks' average of 7.5 made three-point field goals per game is among the best in Division I, as the team ranks 31st nationally. The team hit 14 triples in its victory over Denver, tied for the fifth most in a game in Leatherneck history. The 211 made triples are the 4th most in a single season in Leatherneck history. 

NONCONFERENCE SUCCESS: Western Illinois posted an 8-5 nonconference mark this season, one of the best nonconference records in recent history for the Leathernecks. The eight wins matches the most nonconference wins under JD Gravina, as his squad a year ago also recorded eight wins. The .615 winning percentage in nonconference games this season is the best winning percentage for a Leatherneck team since the 2005-06 team that went on to finish 23-7 and claim the Mid-Con regular season title.

LEATHERNECKS SWEEP: On January 31, Western Illinois knocked off Fort Wayne by a 59-55 final. The victory completed the season-sweep for Western Illinois over the Mastodons, after picking up a 98-85 road win to open league play. The pair of wins gives Western Illinois its first-ever regular season sweep of Fort Wayne. On the year, Western has swept a total of four opponents, as the Purple and Gold also swept IUPUI, Denver, and North Dakota State. The victory at IUPUI was the first home conference loss for the Jaguars in 2014-15, and the four sweeps are the most since the 2007-08 team that also recorded four sweeps on the season. 

FARROW HOT FROM DEEP: Redshirt freshman Michelle Farrow has been the team leader from beyond the arc this year, with a team-best 47 made three pointers. Farrow was hot from deep during a six game stretch for the Leathernecks (Nov. 29 through Dec. 21), as Farrow shot 65% from three-point range (17-of-26). On the year Farrow is shooting 42.7% from long distance. Against Denver on Feb. 21, Farrow scored a career-high 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc. The six made triples fall one shy of the program record for most three pointers made in a game. Earlier this season, Farrow was fourth nationally in three-point field goal percentage. 

KNOCKING EM DOWN FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE: The Leatherneck went 4-0 to open 2015 and much of the success can be attributed to the team's performance at the free throw line. In the four games, the team shot a combined 86% from the free throw line. Western Illinois was 9-of-10 against Eureka, went 19-of-20 to end nonconference against Milwaukee, was 35-40 in The Summit League opener against Fort Wayne, and shot 19-of-25 against Omaha. Combined, the team was 82-of-95 during the stretch. This season, Tori Niemann is shooting a team-best 83.5% from the free throw line. Against Fort Wayne on Jan. 31, Ashley Luke was a perfect 14-of-14 from the charity stripe, the 2nd best FT performance in school history. Luke's 17-of-17 outing against Southeast Missouri her sophomore year is the best performance in program history. 

LUKE JOINS 1,000 POINT CLUB: Junior Ashley Luke entered Leatherneck history during Western Illinois' contest against Florida Atlantic on Nov. 24, as she became just the 14th player in program history to record 1,000 career points. Luke becomes the first Leatherneck to join the club since Zane Teilane, who was a member of Western Illinois from 2003-2006. Currently, Luke has 1,485 career points, the 4th most in program history, trailing Kelle Lindbeck by 1 point for 3rd on the all-time list.

ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS: In just over two seasons at Western Illinois Ashley Luke has proven herself to be one of the top players in today's game. Her 45 career double-doubles are the 6th most among active Division I players, while her career average of 9.7 rebounds per game ranks 12th on the active career leaders list. Luke has scored 1,485 career points, the 13th most in Division I, and her 16.9 points per game ranks 20th most among active players.

LEATHERNECKS DRAWING RECORD CROWDS: The women's basketball program has seen a rise in attendance figures this season, as the team has drawn two of the three highest attendance totals in program history this year. The 1,443 fans who packed Western Hall for the Leathernecks' first ever 'Elementary Day' against UMKC is a new Western Hall record for the women, while the 1,292 fans who were in the stands against Denver on Feb. 21 rank as the third most in program history.

BY THE NUMBERS: In head coach JD Gravina's tenure, the Leathernecks are 43-17 when scoring at least 70 points. When scoring 69-or-fewer points, Western is 14-45 over the same timespan. The Leathernecks also know how to close out a late lead, as they are 48-5 under Gravina when leading with five minutes remaining.

LEATHERNECKS GARNER PRESEASON RECOGNITION: Junior forward Ashley Luke and junior guard Michelle Maher each collected preseason accolades in The Summit League annual preseason voting. Luke was named the league's 'Preseason Player of the Year' while also being named a Fourth Team All Mid-Major selection by collegesportsmadness.com. ESPNW also named Luke as one of the top-10 mid-major players to watch this upcoming season. Maher was tabbed Summit League Preseason Second Team. The Leathernecks were slated to finish fourth this season according to the poll. The fourth place projection is the highest mark for the Leatherneck program since the 2006-07 season when the Purple and Gold were picked to finish fourth as well.

RECORD BREAKERS: The Leathernecks broke seven program records a season ago, with junior Ashley Luke single-handedly breaking five program records. Luke set the top mark in points scored (623), scoring average (20.8), field goals made (223), free throws made (177) and free throws attempted (255). As a team, the Fighting Leathernecks set program records in points scored (2,392) and field goals made (846).

IMPROVEMENT UNDER GRAVINA: In his four years at the helm of the Leatherneck basketball program, head coach JD Gravina has recorded more wins (26) in his first two years at Western Illinois than any other coach in program history, while his 40 wins in his first three years ranks second all-time for most wins over the first three years (Leslie Crane, 41, 1998-00). To date, Gravina has notched 57 career victories, tied for the program record for most wins during a coaches first four years as head coach. Leslie Crane accumulated 57 victories over her first four years as Western's head coach from the 1998-99 season through 2001-02. Gravina has also produced three All-Summit League selections as well as two 'Newcomers of the Year'. 

LUKE LANDS LINCOLN LAUREATE: It was announced on Oct. 29 that junior forward Ashley Luke (Oak Creek, Wisconsin) had been named the Western Illinois University recipient of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois' Student Laureate Award for 2014. The award, presented annually to an outstanding senior of each of Illinois' four-year degree-granting institutions, honors a student's overall academic excellence and extracurricular activities. Luke, a senior political science and journalism double major, will also be named the College Scholar for the WIU College of Arts and Sciences this semester and plans to pursue a master's degree in economics from Western.

ROSTER ADDITIONS: The team welcomes five new members to the program this season. Jenna Mueller has been added to the program as a graduate school transfer and will be immediately eligible for Western Illinois after appearing in 85 career games for Saint Louis University. Junior Krystal Corhn will also be immediately eligible to play this season after transferring from Highland Community College. Sophomore Taylor McClintock joins the Western family after spending her freshman year at Mercer and will redshirt this upcoming season to meet NCAA transfer requirements. The program added two freshmen to the roster in Emily Clemens and Tayler Miller. Clemens, a native of Muscatine, Iowa, was a two-time All-State honoree, earning First Team honors her senior year. As a senior, Clemens was also named the 'Conference Player of the Year'. Miller hails from St. Louis, Missouri where she concluded her high school career as the program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder.  

LUKE'S LACES: For the remainder of the season, the Western Illinois women's basketball team will be wearing camo shoelaces in honor and support of Ashley Luke's fiancee, Alec Smith. Smith, an Air Force Senior Airman, is a member of the 115th Fighter Wing Reserves based out of Madison, Wisconsin, and was recently deployed into active duty. 

SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM: Western Illinois excelled in the classroom this past season, posting the fifth-highest GPA among Division I women's basketball programs. The Leathernecks recorded a cumulative team GPA of 3.607, highest among all programs in The Summit League. Five current members of the team were named to The Summit League Academic Honor in 2013-14, posting a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Of the five, three earned the Distinguished Scholar award: Ashley Luke, Tori Niemann and Liz Skotowski. During the Spring 2014 semester Michelle Farrow, Luke, and Niemann earned a 4.0 GPA.

BASKETBALL INKS ONE FOR 2015: Head coach JD Gravina announced that Taylor Higginbotham (Germantown, Wis., Germantown) has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Western Illinois women's basketball program in 2015. Higginbotham, a 5-10 guard, averaged 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.7 steals per game last season for the Warhawks. Higginbotham is also a member of the Wisconsin Lakers AAU team which produced current Leathernecks Ashley Luke, Faith Lois, and Michelle Farrow.

SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN: The Leathernecks will compete in a total of 29 regular season games as well as one exhibition game in 2014-15. Western will play 14 regular season games at home in Western Hall and will hit the road for 15 contests. The Leathernecks have a schedule that includes marquee match-ups against teams from the SEC (Missouri), Big East (Marquette), Conference USA (Florida Atlantic), and Horizon League (UIC).  

LEROY A. UFKES COURT: Western Hall, home of the men's and women's basketball programs, received a new court this offseason thanks to a donation from the family of a Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame member. LeRoy A. Ufkes Court is named after the 1996 Hall of Fame inductee, a supporter of the WIU Athletic Department for over 25 years. The new look is thanks to a donation from Joan Ufkes and the late LeRoy Ufkes. 

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.