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Western Illinois University Athletics

Emily Clemens
40
Graceland GU 1-7
118
Winner Western Illinois WIU 7-3
Graceland GU
1-7
40
Final
118
Western Illinois WIU
7-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Graceland GU 6 14 6 14 40
Western Illinois WIU 29 29 36 24 118

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

Women's Basketball Cruises In Home Win Over Graceland

The Leathernecks had five score in double-figures led by Emily Clemens' double-double.

PHOTO GALLERY           PRESS CONFERENCE

MACOMB, Ill. – In the third-largest margin of victory in program history, the Western Illinois Fighting Leatherneck women's basketball team picked up its seventh win of the season with a 118-40 final over Graceland University.

The Leathernecks had five in double-figures for the first time this season. Emily Clemens led the way with 23 points and 11 assists, followed by Morgan Blumer (18), Taylor Higginbotham (15), Taylor Hanneman (13) and Olivia Kaufmann (12).

"Obviously you hope that's the way that game goes. Those games are tough. We schedule them, and we have to go on the road and play two money games where we get paid pretty good money, so these games are meant to balance those out," said head coach JD Gravina. "I thought Graceland did a good job playing hard the entire time and made us look at a couple different rotations in our zone. I think the thing I'm most proud of is that a lot of times in these games, it can kind of seem like players are trying to get their points and their stats up. I didn't see any of that. In fact, we almost overshared the ball; 33 assists on 46 field goals is tremendous."

Western Illinois also had 63 boards, which ties for third all-time program history for rebounds in a single game. The Purple and Gold's 33 team assists also tied for fourth in program history in a single game.

"We kept our intensity high, which is something we wanted to work on… not forming bad habits," said Gravina. "Here's the way we play, and it doesn't matter who we are playing on what stage or how many fans are there. This is the way we play. Except for a couple minutes in the second quarter, I thought we did that."

The Leathernecks jumped out to an 11-0 lead early on, and eventually led 29-6 at the end of the first quarter.

By the half, Western Illinois had a 38-point cushion.

A 3-pointer and runner by Higginbotham gave Western a 65-22 lead in the early going of the third quarter. The lead increased to 94-26 at the end of the third.

At the 6:15 mark in the fourth quarter, a pair of Kaufmann free throws put Western over the 100-point mark in the game. Another Higginbotham 3-pointer gave Western a 105-34 lead.

Clemens earned her fifth career double-double with 4:37 to go, as she recorded her 10th assist to put the Leathernecks up 111-36 in the fourth.

Eventually, the Purple and Gold cruised to the 78-point winning margin for its second straight victory this week.

The Yellowjackets were led by Emily Work's nine points and five rebounds.

Up next for Western Illinois is a Saturday (Dec. 10) home game against Eastern Illinois, as part of a double-header. The men's basketball team takes on Eastern Illinois at 2 p.m., and the women follow at 4:30 p.m. (CT). Both games are scheduled to air live on ESPN3.

PROGRAM NOTES:
-Western Illinois' 46 made field goals are the second-highest in program history for a single game…WIU's 14 3-point made field goals ties for eighth all-time in program history…
-63 rebounds in a single-game ties for third all time… the 33 assists ties for fourth all time…
-118 points marks the third-highest number points recorded in a single game for the program… the game also marks the third-largest margin of victory in program history…
- For the first time this season Western had five score in double-figures (last time vs. IUPUI on Feb. 6, 2016)…

PLAYER NOTES:
-Emily Clemens extends her streak to 10 straight games of recording double-digit scoring (25th of her career)… 23 points and 11 assists marks her fifth career double-double (fourth this season)… 11 assists is one shy of her career high… four 3-point field goals made marks a season high… 20th career five-plus assist game… fifth time this season as the scoring leader (career eighth)… sixth 20-plus point game this season (career ninth)
-Olivia Braun's five assists set a new career-high… tied career-high four blocks for the third time…
-Mallory Boyle tied her season highs in points with eight (third time for 2016-17), field goals made with four (third time) and assists with three (second time)…
-Morgan Blumer was one rebound shy of her second career double-double… set a new career-high with four assists… ninth career game of scoring in double digits…
-Olivia Kaufmann set a new career-high in points (12), field goals made (five), rebounds (four) and steals (three)… tied her career high of two free throws made in a game… career-high 19 minutes… first career double-digit scoring game..
-Taylor Hanneman recorded a career-high seven rebounds… 13 points marks her 13th career double-digit scoring game… tied career-high one steal for the fifth time…
-Andi Pierce set a career-high in points (eight), field goals made (three)… recorded first-career free throw, rebound and 3-point field goal made… career-high 13 minutes…
-Jasmine Patrick set a season-high of eight rebounds… tied her career-high of two blocks for the second time…
-Michelle Farrow had a career-high seven rebounds… tied career-high of one block for the ninth time…
-Taylor Higginbotham's 15 points marks her fifth double-digit scoring game of the season (25th in her career)…
-Sam Pryor set a new career-high in points (nine) and rebounds (nine)… tied her career-highs in field goals made (three, second time), free throws made (one, second time) and 3-point field goals made (two, second time)…
 
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