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MACOMB, Ill.- Western Illinois women's basketball plays host to North Dakota State this Saturday, Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m. in Summit League action. The Leathernecks are 14-4 overall and sit at 4-1 with three other programs for a share of first place in The Summit League.
To view The Summit League standings, click HERE.
Prior to the game, head coach JD Gravina will be honored with a signed basketball in honor of his 200th career win, which he picked up Jan. 7 against Oral Roberts (76-72, OT) in the last home game.
LAST TIME OUT:
Western Illinois overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Omaha 78-74 on the road Wednesday night (Jan. 11).
The Leathernecks trailed by as many as 15 points in the game to complete the comeback for their fourth Summit League win of the season.
Clemens led the way with 23 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. She shot 7-of-14 (50 percent) from the field and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. Blumer followed with 19 points and six rebounds, followed by Higginbotham (13 points) and Braun (11 points).
QUICK NOTES FROM LAST GAME:
-201st win for head coach JD Gravina… 87th in his career at Western Illinois
-14-4 record is still the best start since the 2005-06 season (started 15-3 through 18 games)…
-Western Illinois is 4-0 in games decided by 3-5 points…
-4-1 start in Summit League play is the best start since 2007-08 season (started 7-0)…
AROUND THE SUMMIT LEAGUE:
For team statistics, Western Illinois tops The Summit League in points per game (80.1), field goals made and attempted (518-1206), 3-pointers made and attempted (165-510), assists per game (18.2), steals per game (12.4), and blocks per game (4.4). The Leathernecks are second in the league for rebounds per game (39.6) and third in free throw percentage (77.7).
Individually, Emily Clemens leads The Summit League in total assists (121/eighth nationally), assists per game (6.7), assist/turnover ratio (2.1), steals (56/tied for ninth nationally) and steals per game (3.1). Clemens also ranks second in the league with 18.6 points per game. Along with Clemens, two other Leatherneck players rank within the top-3 in steals per game. Mallory Boyle is second with 2.3, while Blumer is third with 2.1 per contest.
Olivia Braun ranks atop The Summit League standings with 2.6 blocks per game and 47 total blocks (ninth in the nation).
In the national rankings, The Leathernecks rank within the top-10 in five different statistical categories: total assists (328/sixth), steals (324/fourth), 3-pointers made (165/seventh), 3-pointers attempted (510/sixth) and 3-pointers made per game (9.2/ninth).
SCOUTING THE BISON:
North Dakota State is currently 5-12 overall with a 3-1 mark in Summit League play. The Bison are riding a three-game winning streak after victories at Denver (86-80), vs. South Dakota (83-73) and Fort Wayne (68-56). Their lone loss is against South Dakota State (69-66).
The Bison are led by Taylor Thunstedt's 17.4 points per game. She ranks third in The Summit League for scoring. Sarah Jacobson is the second player averaging in double-digit scoring with 10.1 points per contest.
Brianna Jones ranks second in The Summit League with 136 total rebounds and 8.0 per contest. As a team, the Bison sit atop the league with 40.1 rebounds per game. North Dakota State is led by head coach Marren Walseth, who is in her third season at the helm of the program.
SERIES HISTORY VS. NDSU:
The Leathernecks lead the all-time series 10-9. Last season, Western swept the Bison, winning 94-82 on the road and 100-89 at home. The Purple and Gold have won the last five meetings, seven of the last eight and nine of the last 12. This will be the 20th meeting between the two programs.
HIGGINBOTHAM NAMED TO NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STARTING FIVE:
As the current Summit League Player of the Week, sophomore guard Taylor Higginbotham was recognized for another honor this week, as she joins Emily Clemens as the second Leatherneck named to the NCAA Women's Basketball Starting Five. The award recognizes the top weekly performances by women's basketball players nationwide. To view the release, click HERE.
CLEMENS ASSIST WATCH:
With four assists against Omaha, Emily Clemens is now 10 assists shy from passing Carol Anderson (1982-85) for seventh all-time in program history for total career assists.
1. 542 Jolene Hanig ..................................... 1988-91
2. 437 Michelle Maher ................................. 2013-16
3. 405 Rebecca Henricson .......................... 2011-14
4. 374 Amy Houtzel...................................... 1989-92
5. 362 Kim Hurley......................................... 1978-81
6. 341 Deirdre LaFrance............................... 1994-97
7. 336 Carol Anderson................................. 1982-85
8. 327 Emily Clemens...................................2014-Pr.
9. 314 Valerie Vincent.................................. 1992-95
10. 290 Vicki Adelman................................... 1992-95
PROMOTIONAL:
Fans can hear Danny Frey call all of the women's basketball regular season games throughout the area on the Leatherneck Sports Network.
All Western Illinois women's basketball regular season home games are scheduled to be video streamed on Fighting Leatherneck All-Access, and select games are slated to air on WatchESPN/ESPN3.
Flagship: 94.3 FM WRMS (Beardstown) Affiliates: 102.7 FM WJEQ (Macomb) | 106.7 FM WPWQ (Quincy) | 107.5 FM KWBZ (Quincy).
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