Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Emily Clemens
79
Northern Illinois NIU 2-1
83
Winner Western Illinois WIU 3-1
Northern Illinois NIU
2-1
79
Final
83
Western Illinois WIU
3-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Northern Illinois NIU 13 21 23 22 79
Western Illinois WIU 15 19 22 27 83

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

Leathernecks Defeat NIU At Home Behind Clemens' Career-High 34 Points

Western Illinois improves to 3-1 overall with the 83-79 win over NIU

MACOMB, Ill. — Junior point guard Emily Clemens recorded a career-high 34 points Saturday (Nov. 19) to lead the Western Illinois women's basketball team to an 83-79 win over Northern Illinois at Western Hall.

Clemens surpassed her previous career-high of 27 (at North Dakota State, Jan. 21, 2016), as she shot 10-for-14 from the field and dished out five assists.

"I thought she played the basketball game of her life," said head coach JD Gravina. "She's so hard to keep in front when we space out."

Western Illinois and NIU traded baskets early on, as a 3-pointer by Taylor Higginbotham off a fast break gave the Purple and Gold a 15-13 lead to close out the first quarter.

With 7:21 remaining in the second quarter, senior Jasmine Patrick buried her first of two  3-pointers to give the Leathernecks a five-point cushion. A made 3-pointer by Morgan Blumer put Western up by six, but the Huskies went on a run and outscored the Leathernecks 13-5 in the final 4:35 of the half to tie the score at 34-all.

A put-back layup by Mallory Boyle in the third quarter put Western up 47-42, but the Huskies tallied off a 9-0 run to take a 57-56 lead over a 2:36 span. Northern Illinois went on to outscore the Leathernecks 19-5 over a five-minute span, and put Western in a seven-point deficit with 7:12 to go.

An 8-1 run by the Leathernecks — capped off by an and-one from Sam Pryor and a Clemens 3-pointer —  tied the score at 68 with 4:46 to go. Following an NIU three, Gravina called timeout with his team down a basket and 42.3 seconds remaining.

Michelle Farrow then intercepted an NIU pass and went coast-to-coast for a 3-point play. The junior was fouled as the ball circled the rim before it fell in, which gave Western a 78-77 lead with 21.7 seconds to go.

As a team, the Leathernecks would go on to hit five free throws down the stretch to seal the 83-79 win.

"It was just excitement. They (NIU) have a good team and beat Milwaukee," said Gravina. "I thought a lot of kids came in and played well. We made a couple of nice plays down the stretch. I'm really proud of Michelle Farrow, who literally made two plays that won the game. Sam Pryor also came in off the bench and helped pick us up."

Clemens' 34 points marks the second time this season she has led Western Illinois (3-1) in scoring. Blumer was the other scorer in double figures, tallying 11 points with six rebounds. Michelle Farrow added nine, while both Higginbotham and Patrick chipped in eight each. Higginbotham also had a season-high six assists.

Northern Illinois (2-1) had four players reach double figures scoring. Courteny Woods had a team-high 20 points, while both Cassidy Glenn (17 points, 11 rebounds) and Ally Lehman (15 points, 13 rebounds) recorded double-doubles. Mikayla Voight was the fourth Huskie to reach double-digit scoring with 12.

The Leathernecks hit the road for their next four contests, starting out with Kansas City on Tuesday (Nov. 22) at 11 a.m. The game will can be heard live on the Leatherneck Sports Network.

Notes:
-Emily Clemens' career-high 34 points marks the fifth time in her career she has scored 20 or more points in a game, as well the second time this season she's led the Leathernecks in scoring…Clemens' five assists marks the second straight game in which she's recorded at least five assists this season. It is also the third time this season (18th time in her career) that she has five or more assists in a game…She also set a new career-high for field goals made (10) and free throws made (13)…The Iowa native also played her third 30-plus minute game this season (24th of her career).

-Morgan Blumer's 11 points mark the second straight game she's reached double figures in scoring…She also set a new career-high in free throws made (fivee) and blocks (three), and played her second 30-plus minute game this season.

-Mallory Boyle tied her season-high in field goals made (two) and set a new career-high in steals (five)…She played her second 30-plus minute game this season (13th of her career).

-Olivia Braun tied her career-highs in steals (two) and blocks (three).

-Michelle Farrow set a new career-high in free throws made (three)…She also tied her season-high in rebounds (three) and her career-high in steals (three).

-Taylor Higginbotham set a new season-high in assists (six).

-Jasmine Patrick set a new career-high in 3-point field goals made with two.

-Sam Pryor made her first collegiate free throw.

-The Leathernecks had three players play 30-plus minutes.
 
   
Print Friendly Version