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Western Illinois University Athletics

Braun
76
Winner Western Illinois WIU 17-6, 7-3
62
Oral Roberts ORU 12-11, 4-6
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
17-6, 7-3
76
Final
62
Oral Roberts ORU
12-11, 4-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western Illinois WIU 14 21 18 23 76
Oral Roberts ORU 9 17 16 20 62

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

Women's Basketball Gains Road Win At Oral Roberts

Olivia Braun had a career-high 22 points and nine rebounds in the victory.

TULSA, Okla. – A career night from Olivia Braun lifted the Western Illinois women's basketball team to a road victory over Oral Roberts, 76-62, Wednesday (Feb. 1).

"It's always tough to win on the road," said head coach JD Gravina. "They [Oral Roberts] rebounded well and sent people to the glass, but that also opens up our transition game. It's a little bit of a give-and-take, but I thought Olivia Braun had the best game of her career. I liked that she was very offensive minded and she also did a great job at that basket spot in our zone. Olivia Braun was played so well and it never seemed like she was tired out there."

Braun recorded a career-high 22 points and nine rebounds, while Clemens added 21 points and four assists. Taylor Higginbotham also finished in double figures with 19 points and three assists. The Leathernecks (17-6, 7-3) fell into a 9-2 hole early on in the contest, but a 12-0 run gave Western a 14-9 lead over Oral Roberts (12-11, 4-6) after the first quarter.

The lead became 19-11 to open the second quarter, following a 3-pointer from Taylor Hanneman and a fast-break score by Emily Clemens at the 8:11 mark. A made shot from beyond the arc from Clemens, concluded by a Mallory Boyle basket made it an 8-point Purple and Gold advantage with just under two minutes to go until halftime. Western led 35-26 after two quarters of play.

Western maintained a 40-32 lead with 6:31 to go in the third after Blumer rebounded the ball and passed it to Clemens, who found Braun in stride for the transition bucket. A little under two minutes later, Braun came up on the defensive end and drew a charge, as Western stayed ahead 44-34 with 4:54 to go in the third.

Braun continued to make her presence known, as she nailed a 3-pointer from the corner and then tied her previous career-high of 18 points with a scoop layup at the third quarter buzzer. The Western Illinois lead was up to 11 entering the fourth quarter.

With 7:57 left on the game clock, the Golden Eagles knocked down a 3-pointer to dwindle Western's lead at 53-47. The Leathernecks responded, however, when Clemens found Braun cutting inside the lane for a reverse layup, and then the junior point guard Clemens knocked down a pair of free throws.

Gravina's team led by five with 4:36 to go, but a technical foul by the Golden Eagles sparked back-to-back 3-point plays by Clemens and Higginbotham, which kept Oral Roberts from making it a one-possession contest.

Clemens closed out the game when she went a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe for the Leathernecks' 14-point win. As a team, Western shot 20-of-23 from the foul line (87 percent).

Oral Roberts was led by the duo of Kaylan Mayberry and Maria Martianez, who both scored in double figures. Mayberry recorded 21 points, while Martianez added 18 points, seven rebounds and was 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.

"We really did a good job from the free throw line. We kept attacking when we were up by six to seven points, and that really helped us close out the game in that final stretch," said Gravina.

Western Illinois now shifts its focus to Omaha this Saturday (Feb. 4) at 4:30 p.m. inside Western Hall as part of a double-header with the men's team. The women's game marks the "Tradition of Tough Think Pink" promotion, which raises money for Linda's Fund at McDonough District Hospital and the men will host their 'Ballin' for the Kids' event with Dance Marathon to help raise money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Free Chipotle will also be given to the first 200 students that come to the women's game at 4:30 p.m. To receive your free chicken or beef burrito, students can pick up a ticket by the inflatable Rocky at the beginning of the game. After the game is over, they can use that same ticket to pick up their free chicken or steak burrito, also by the inflatable Rocky. Students get in to all Western Illinois athletics events for free with your student ID.

PLAYER NOTES:
-Emily Clemens recorded her 22nd double-digit scoring game of the season (career 37th)… also had her 13th 20-plus point game this season (career 16th)… sixth-career game of playing 40-plus minutes… four assists moves her to 359 in her career which is three shy of tying Kim Hurley (1978-81) for fifth all-time…
-Olivia Braun set career-highs in points (22), rebounds (nine) and field goals made (nine)… second-career game as the scoring leader… fourth career game as the rebounds leader… fourth career double-digit scoring game… also her first career 20-plus point and 40-plus minute  game…
-Michelle Farrow's one block tied her career-high for the 10th time (second time this season)…
-Taylor Higginbotham's 19 points marks her 16th double-digit scoring game this season (career 37th)…
   
 
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