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Western Illinois University Athletics

Avery Hamm
Larry Dean
77
William Jewell WJC 0-0
89
Winner Western Illinois WIU 0-0
William Jewell WJC
0-0
77
Final
89
Western Illinois WIU
0-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
William Jewell WJC 26 16 13 22 77
Western Illinois WIU 23 27 21 18 89

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

Leathernecks Finish Exhibition Play with Win over William Jewell

Avery Hamm drained six three-pointers and Taylor Higginbotham recorded another double-double to pull away for a 89-77 victory.

MACOMB, Ill.  — The Western Illinois women's basketball team sank 14 shots from behind the arc and received another double-double effort from Taylor Higginbotham to defeat William Jewell 89-77 in the exhibition finale on Thursday night (Nov.1).
 
"That was another good competitive exhibition game," head coach JD Gravina said. "It really helps us prepare for the regular season. I'd like us to figure out a way to get a little tougher and rebound better."
 
Almost halfway through the first quarter, Avery Hamm connected on a game-tying three followed on the next possession by a triple from Annabel Graettinger to take the Leatherneck lead, 14-13 going into the 4:08 media timeout. Back-to-back threes from Sydney Offield and Kiara Bradley handed the Cardinals a 24-21 lead that turned into a 26-23 advantage after the first quarter.
 
Jinda Guidinger immediately tied the game at 26 on the first Western possession of the second quarter. The Leathernecks quickly built a double-digit margin and led 45-30 after a straight-on trifecta by Higginbotham halfway through the second quarter. William Jewell chipped away at the deficit and a layup by Macyn Wilbers in the closing seconds of the first half made it a 50-42 ballgame at halftime.
 
With 5:39 left in the third quarter, Hamm buried one of her six three-pointers of the night to push the Western advantage back to double figures at 58-48. After scoring effectively both inside and outside, the Leathernecks went ahead 71-55 after three quarters.  
 
The Cardinals started the fourth quarter on a 12-0 run, capped off by a Natalie Closser layup with 6:34 remaining to force a Western Illinois timeout clinging onto a 71-67 advantage. Following the stoppage, Higginbotham scored via a layup and Hamm stepped back for another trey. A three-point onslaught by Higginbotham and Hamm at the three-minute mark of the game helped the Leathernecks pull away for an 89-77 win.
 
Higginbotham led the way with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Olivia Kaufmann scored 19 points with four assists. All 18 points by Hamm came from beyond the three-point line and Graettinger rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points.
 
The Leathernecks open the regular season at home on Tuesday (Nov. 6) at 8 p.m. against 16th ranked Missouri.
 
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