INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Five Leathernecks scored in double figures Saturday (Feb. 6) afternoon, but it wasn't enough as the Leathernecks dropped a shootout to IUPUI, 96-87. Sophie Reichelt led the way for Western (13-11, 6-5), as she scored a team-high 22 points and extended her streak of games in double figures to 10-straight.
 
Reichelt was joined in double figures by Michelle Maher and Emily Clemens who each scored 15. Taylor McClintock contributed 12 points off the bench and Taylor Higginbotham ended the day with 10 points.
 
"When you're on the road, in conference, against a good team, you want to give yourself a chance to hit some shots and win the game," said head coach JD Gravina. "Unfortunately we weren't able to hit enough or get enough stops. They (IUPUI) are awfully good."

It was a hot shooting afternoon for both teams, as the Leathernecks and Jaguars (16-7, 7-3) each shot 50 percent or better from the field, but it was the long ball of IUPUI (10-of-18 shooting) that proved to be the difference maker Saturday. IUPUI leaned heavily on Danielle Lawrence, who dropped a game-high 34 points on 13-of-17 shooting including 6-of-8 from beyond the arc.
 
Western and IUPUI battled back and forth through five ties and four lead changes, as large scoring runs were the theme of the afternoon. The Leathernecks took its first lead of the game midway through the first quarter on the heels of a 9-0 WIU run. Higginbotham sparked the run with a triple, and Boyle, Maher, and Reichelt all followed with layups to put the Leathernecks ahead 13-10.
 
The Jaguars took the lead late in the first quarter and maintained their advantage through halftime before the Purple and Gold went on another run.  Trailing by five with 7:38 remaining in the third quarter, Western Illinois exploded for a 20-8 run to take a six point lead on the Jaguars. Western's run was kicked-off by Maher, who converted an old-fashioned 3-point play. Maher, who was tied for eighth on the WIU all-time scoring list heading into the game, moved into sole possession of eighth with 1,328 career points.
 
Six Leathernecks scored in the run as Western put itself in a position to split the season series against IUPUI, but the Jaguars countered with 10 unanswered points to take the lead for good. Western got within two points of the lead at the outset of the fourth quarter, but IUPUI maintained at least a four point cushion for the remainder of the quarter to close out the victory.
 
Saturday's game kicked-off a stretch of four straight games on the road, with the Leathernecks set to travel to Denver next Wednesday, February 10, for a game against the Pioneers. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. (CT).