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Western Illinois University Athletics

Olivia Braun
50
Illinois State ILS 3-7
80
Winner Western Illinois WIU 10-3
Illinois State ILS
3-7
50
Final
80
Western Illinois WIU
10-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Illinois State ILS 10 12 15 13 50
Western Illinois WIU 16 20 18 26 80

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

Western Illinois Runs Past Illinois State, Improves To 10-3

The win gives the Leathernecks a perfect 7-0 mark against in-state teams.

PHOTO GALLERY

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois women's basketball team ran away with an 80-50 win over in-state rival Illinois State behind the game-high 22 points of Emily Clemens on Tuesday night (Dec. 20) inside Western Hall.

The Leathernecks are now a perfect 7-0 against in-state programs, and 10-3 overall this season.

"I'm very proud of the way we bounced back after the Chicago State game. We came out and played to our identity," said head coach JD Gravina. "We were aggressive and confident. Our defense is becoming a real strength and I'm proud of the way our team has embraced it."

Western Illinois fell into an early hole, but regained a 9-8 lead in the first quarter. As time winded down Michelle Farrow dribbled down the court and hit a running 3-pointer to put Western up 16-10 at the conclusion of the first.

A shot from beyond the arc by Taylor Higginbotham gave the Leathernecks a 21-10 advantage with 8:24 remaining in the second, which capped off a 12-2 run.

The lead increased to 36-24 in favor of Western Illinois by halftime, following a Morgan Blumer running layup with three seconds to go.

In the third, Western maintained a 15-point cushion when Jasmine Patrick buried a 15-footer from the high post at the 2:40 mark. The Purple and Gold built up a 54-37 lead entering the fourth quarter. With 8:56 to go, Clemens dribbled down the court and used a crossover to go baseline on her defender for the layup, which put Western up 19 points.

Shortly after, a 9-0 run made it a 65-37 game with 5:41 to go in favor of the Leathernecks. Clemens closed out the game with her 299th career assist after dishing the ball to Higginbotham for a center three. WIU eventually went on to secure the 30-point win.

Clemens led all with a game-high 22 points to go with seven assists. Three other Leathernecks reached double figures in Higginbotham (13 points, six rebounds and four assists), Mallory Boyle (10 points, seven rebounds and four assists) and Blumer (10 points, four rebounds).

Megan Talbot paced Illinois State (3-7) with her 14 points and seven rebounds, followed by Brechelle Beachum's nine points and three steals.

Western Illinois now shifts its focus to its Summit League opener with a Dec. 28 matchup at Fort Wayne. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. (CT).

TEAM NOTES:
-Western Illinois is now a perfect 7-0 against in-state programs this season (Monmouth, Northern Illinois, SIU-Edwardsville, Bradley, Eastern Illinois, Chicago State and Illinois State)…
-10-3 is still the best start since the 2005-06 season (started 15-2)…
-Head coach JD Gravina picked up his 197th career win…
-10 made 3-pointers marks the seventh time this year that Western Illinois has made 10 or more threes in a game…
-Seven team blocks ties a season high for the third time…
-Western Illinois improves to 8-0 when leading at halftime…

PLAYER NOTES:
-Emily Clemens is now one assist away from her career 300th… 22 points is her 13th double-digit scoring game this season, also the 28th in her career… also marks the eighth time she's led the team in scoring this season (10th time in her career)… also her eighth 20-plus point game this season (11th in her career)... seven assists marks her eighth five-plus assist game this season (23rd in her career)…
-Mallory Boyle set a season high in assists with four… she is also one point away from her career 300th… three steals away from 100 in her career…
-Morgan Blumer is five points away from 200 in her career…
-Olivia Kaufmann tied her career-high of three assists for the third time… also tied her career high of 3-point field goals made with one for the third time…
-Andi Pierce recorded her first-career block…
-Jasmine Patrick set a new season-high of free throws made in a game with two…
-Michelle Farrow tied her season-high of 3-point field goals made with three for the third time…
-Taylor Higginbotham recorded her 250th career rebound… also had one block which ties her season high for the third time (also ties career-high for the seventh time)…
   
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