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Western Illinois University Athletics

Emily Clemens
76
Winner Western Illinois WIU 5-1
74
SIUE SIUE 1-4
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
5-1
76
Final
74
SIUE SIUE
1-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western Illinois WIU 14 19 22 21 76
SIUE SIUE 19 13 22 20 74

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

Western Illinois Edges SIUE 76-74 On The Road

The last time WIU started 5-1 was the 2005-06 season.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – A pair of Emily Clemens free throws with three seconds to spare lifted the Western Illinois women's basketball team to a 76-74 road win over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville Sunday (Nov. 27).

Following the free throws by Clemens, SIUE heaved a 3-pointer to win, but it was no good. With the win, the Leathernecks improve to 5-1 on the season. The last time Western Illinois started 5-1 was during the 2005-06 season.

"It was nice to beat a good team that should finish Top-4 in the OVC on the road, without shooting the ball too well," said head coach JD Gravina. "We found a way to win and we outrebounded them. On offense we really spaced out well, and to get a win on the road when we don't shoot it well is huge for us. I knew Emily could be that kid to make a play for us, and she did. I'm really proud of her and she stepped up and knocked down those free throws."

Western Illinois trailed 14-8 early on, but cut it to three after Taylor Higginbotham's shot from beyond the arc hit the rim, bounced on top of the backboard and fell in.

From there, the Leathernecks kept it to within five, trailing 19-14 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Western went on a 6-0 run, followed by an and-one by Olivia Braun and a 3-pointer by Michelle Farrow just over three minutes before halftime.

SIUE gained the lead with 18.4 seconds to go before halftime, but an up-and-under move by Clemens sent her to the charity stripe with a second to spare. The junior point guard hit both free throws, which gave the Purple and Gold a 33-32 lead at the half. In the final seven minutes of the second quarter, WIU went on a 16-5 run.

In the third, Western pulled ahead 46-43 at the 7:09 mark after Taylor Higginbotham got her own rebound and got a putback as she was fouled for a 3-point play.

Western pulled ahead 55-48 with under two minutes to play in the third following another and-1 by Mallory Boyle. The Cougars, however, clawed back to within one after they made a long three at the buzzer.

At the 5:28 mark in the fourth quarter, Braun rejected a shot, stole the ball and found Clemens for a fast-break score, which put WIU up 67-60. The Cougars tied it at 70-all with 1:30 to go, and eventually led 72-71 over WIU with under a minute to play. Morgan Blumer then hit a three to put the Leathernecks up 74-72, but the Cougars got a fast-break score to tie it up at 74 apiece.

With time winding down, Clemens was fouled with three seconds to spare, and hit both free throws to give Western Illinois its fifth win.

Clemens led the way with 24 points, six rebounds and four assists, followed by Higginbotham's 16 points and seven rebounds. Blumer also finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.

SIUE (1-4) was led by Donshel Beck's 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. Gwen Adams added 15 points, followed by Laure White (12) and Nakiah Bell (12).

"We've been incredibly good in close games in the last couple of years, and part of that is giving our kids confidence and the freedom to make plays," said Gravina."

Western Illinois returns to action Tuesday (Nov. 29) at Missouri. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will air on SECNetwork+.

NOTES:
-Emily Clemens' 24 points marks the third straight game she has scored 20-plus points…she has scored in double figures in every game this season…
-Olivia Braun set a new career-high in blocks (four) and rebounds (eight)…she also tied her career-high in assists (two) for the third time…
-Mallory Boyle set a season high in points (eight) and free throws made (4-for-4)…
-Morgan Blumer's 13 points marks the fifth game this season she has reached double figures in scoring…
-Taylor Higginbotham tied her season high in free throws made (seven)..she also tied her season high in steals (three)…
   
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