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Western Illinois University Athletics

Maher FP
55
OMAHA OMAHA 11-10, 4-5
74
Winner Western Illinois WIU 12-10, 5-4
OMAHA OMAHA
11-10, 4-5
55
Final
74
Western Illinois WIU
12-10, 5-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
OMAHA OMAHA 13 16 19 7 55
Western Illinois WIU 7 15 30 22 74

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

Second Half Surge Sends Leathernecks Past Omaha

Team ties program record with 11 threes in a half to post comeback victory

MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois women's basketball team opened the second half of Summit League play in thrilling fashion, as the Leathernecks erased a 15-point deficit to defeat Omaha, 74-55. Western, who outscored Omaha 52-26 in the second half, improve to 12-10 overall and 5-4 in league action. Omaha falls to 11-10 (4-5).
 
Western's 26-point advantage in the second half was thanks to a record-matching performance by the Purple and Gold. Of WIU's 12 3-pointers in the game, 11 came in the second half, tied for the most in a single half in Leatherneck history (11 in second half vs. Chicago State, 11/21/15). Five different Leathernecks connected from beyond the arc in the second half, led by Michelle Maher's five triples. The WIU defense clamped down defensively from long range, limiting the Mavs to 1-of-17 (5.9%) from deep.
 
Finding themselves down in the first half, the Leatherneck defense kept the team in the game, as Western dominated the boards. WIU outrebounded Omaha, 48-33, for the game and owned a 19-2 advantage in offensive boards.
 
It was time for Western's offense to kick it into high gear in the final 1:58 of the first half, as a 7-0 run trimmed Omaha's halftime lead to seven at 29-22. Taylor Higginbotham picked the pocket of Omaha's Amber Vidal with four seconds remaining in the half and found Ciara Marlow for a buzzer-beating layup to cap the run.

"We played a tremendous first half defensively. Tremendous. We only gave up 29 points and we were rebounding well," said head coach JD Gravina. "The truth of the matter is, the way we shot the ball offensively, we would have been down 20-plus points in most games this year and the game would have been over. But we defended, Taylor (Higginbotham) and Ciara (Marlow) made that big play right at the buzzer to put us down seven, and got a little momentum. The pretty unbelievable thing, honestly, was our rebounding. I am so proud of that rebounding effort. They (Omaha) got two offensive rebounds, we got 19. We outrebounded them by 15 and that is almost unfathomable for me with this team and it makes me really proud of them."

The spark of offense wouldn't die during the break, as WIU continued to push the tempo in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Western outscored the visitors 18-7 over the first 4:32 of the third quarter to take its first lead of the game. Maher and Higginbotham each tallied six points in the run while the Leathernecks were a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.
 
Sophie Reichelt scored 10 of her 16 points in the final quarter, and Western outscored the visiting Mavs 22-7 over the final 10 minutes to clinch its fifth league victory of the season and a season-split with Omaha. The senior also collected six rebounds in the contest, with all six coming in the final quarter.
 
Reichelt, who extended her double-figures streak to seven straight games, was one of four Leathernecks to score in double figures. Maher led the way for the Purple and Gold with a game-high 23 points and eight assists. The eight helpers move the senior guard into sole possession of second on the WIU career assists list with 413. Emily Clemens capped her night with 11 points and a team-leading seven rebounds while compiling four assists to no turnovers. Taylor McClintock, fresh off of her career-high 18 points last time out, finished with 14 points and four rebounds.
 
Western caps its three-game homestand this Thursday, February 4, with a 7 p.m. contest against Fort Wayne. The Leathernecks will be looking to sweep the season series from the Mastodons, who come to Macomb with a 5-17 (1-8) record.
 
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