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Western Illinois University Athletics

Michelle Maher
WIU Visual Productions Center
78
Winner Western Illinois WIU 9-7, 2-1 Summit
74
IPFW IPFW 4-11, 0-2 Summit
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
9-7, 2-1 Summit
78
Final
74
IPFW IPFW
4-11, 0-2 Summit
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western Illinois WIU 15 22 16 25 78
IPFW IPFW 19 9 25 21 74

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

Leathernecks Edge Mastodons in Summit League Battle

Three Leathernecks score 20 or more points as Western moves to 2-1 in league play

FORT WAYNE, IND. – Michelle Maher scored a game-high 23 points and Sophie Reichelt tallied her second double-double of the season as the Western Illinois women's basketball team held off Fort Wayne, 78-74. The Leathernecks, who trailed by three with just over two minutes remaining in the game, ended the game on a 12-5 run to move to 9-7 overall (2-1 Summit League) on the year.
 
Maher's 23 point effort came from a stellar shooting night, as she finished 8-of-11 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Sophomore Emily Clemens was right behind Maher, as she ended the game with 22 points thanks to an 11-of-12 showing from the charity stripe. Reichelt was the third Leatherneck to tally 20 or more points, as she finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double is the sixth-career double-double for the Mill Creek, Washington, native.
 
"We knew Fort Wayne would get back into the game," said head coach JD Gravina. "I was pretty disappointed about the way we came out of the locker room and I told the team after the game that we have to find that balance between being loose, but not being too loose and losing our intensity. We have to be relaxed but be intense, and I think that's a hard battle. Fort Wayne was at home. They are a team that can hit shots, so I wasn't surprised they came back, but I wish we had come out with a little more intensity."
 
Thursday's contest was back and forth, as there were 15 ties and 12 lead changes between the Leathernecks and Mastodons. With 2:11 remaining in the game, De'Jour Young's free throws pushed the Fort Wayne (4-11, 0-2) lead to three. Western would respond as an 8-0 run over 1:42 gave the Purple and Gold the lead for good with under a minute remaining. Maher, Reichelt, and Clemens tallied back-to-back-to-back layups to put WIU ahead by three, and Clemens hit a pair from the free throw line with 19 seconds left to put Western up by five. The lead would hold, as Maher's free throws with six seconds left capped the four point Leatherneck victory.
 
Early on, it looked as though the Leathernecks wouldn't have to outlast Fort Wayne, as Western outscored the host Mastodons, 22-9, in the second quarter. The 13 point advantage in the second frame was aided by a 14-1 run midway through the quarter. Clemens started the run with a pair of free throws, as she made a career-best 11 from the charity stripe en route to matching her career-high of 22 points.
 
Back-to-back triples from Reichelt and Taylor McClintock pushed the lead to five before Clemens went back to work from the free throw line. Maher ended the run with a layup as WIU would build a lead as many as 11 in the opening half, and the Leathernecks would lead 37-28 at halftime.
 
Western's lead wouldn't last, however, as Fort Wayne would climb back into the game. After Reichelt opened the second half with a layup, the Mastodons answered with 11 consecutive points to even the score at 39-all with 4:28 remaining in the third. From that point on, neither team would lead by more than five the rest of the way.
 
Western shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60) from the field while blocking a season-high eight shots. Reichelt tallied four blocks, a season-high, while Ciara Marlow, Michelle Farrow, Maher, and Clemens each added one.
 
The Purple and Gold return to action on Saturday, January 9, as the Leathernecks play host to IUPUI on 'Kids Day'. Tip-off is slated for 4:30 p.m. and will immediately follow the WIU men's game against the Jaguars. As part of 'Kids Day', all children will receive free general admission to both games, and have a chance to meet Rocky and the cheerleaders. Both teams will also be available following the game for autographs.
 
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