Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

Danni Nichols
Larry Dean

WBB Back in Action Tuesday at Bradley

Western will play two games less than 36 hours apart in an 11 a.m. tip at Bradley.

Western Illinois (3-5) at Bradley (6-0)                          
Date/Tipoff: Dec. 4, 2018 | 11 a.m.
Location: Peoria, Ill. 
Site: Renaissance Coliseum
Radio: Ryan Kent Jr. (WRMS)

Series History: In a series that dates back to 1971, the Braves maintain an all-time edge of 26-13. The Leathernecks have won three of the last four matchups, dropping last season's contest 87-80 on the road. 

Western's Last Outing: The Leathernecks overcame a 16-point deficit and a 72-all tie in the final minute en route to a 77-72 win over Austin Peay. 

Olivia Kaufmann broke the final stalemate with an and-1 opportunity, and singlehandedly ended the game on a 5-0 run to crown a career-high 25 points. There were three ties and four lead changes in the fourth quarter alone and Western trailed 22-9 at the end of the first. 

•    Western outscored the Govs, 28-13, in the second quarter 
•    Taylor Higginbotham recorded her first double-double of the season on 14 points and 12 rebounds
•    Grace Gilmore was a point shy of tabbing her first career double-double (nine points, 10 rebounds)
•    Annabel Graettinger returned to the starting lineup after a three-game hiatus and added 15 points with six assists

Inside the Hall: All three of the Leathernecks' wins have occurred inside Western Hall with successes over MacMurray College, William Woods and Austin Peay. 

League Leading: The Leathernecks sit atop The Summit League in several categories:

Free-Throw Attempts – 170 
Free-Throws Made – 118 
Steals – 100 (10th in the NCAA)
Three-Point Attempts – 247 (3rd in NCAA)
Three-Points Made – 81 (3rd in NCAA)
Turnovers Forced – 24.75 per game (10th in the NCAA)

The Long Ball: Western sits third in the nation with 72 three-point field goals made. Taylor Higginbotham and Elizabeth Lutz lead the charge with 13 treys each. 

The Leathernecks set an NCAA Division I record against MacMurray College earlier this season with the most the most three-pointers made in a single game (28) and are coming off 14 versus William Woods.

Saving Grace: Grace Gilmore has started off her sophomore campaign on the highest of notes. She was inserted into the starting lineup this season, appearing in all eight games, and has already surpassed several of her 2017-18 stats. 

2017-18: Minutes (169), Rebounds (36), Steals (7), Points (77)
2018-19: Minutes (226), Rebounds (40), Steals (15), Points (81)

The Lone Ranger: Taylor Higginbotham is the lone senior on the Leathernecks' 2018-19 roster. In a Nov. 17 game against Butler earlier this season, she passed Tiffany Cornelius (2001-2004) for seventh all-time on Western's career scoring list. 

She currently manages 1,470 points, shooting 40.1 percent from the field. 

Western Scoring Leaders
1. 1,699,  Emily Clemens .............................. 2014-17
2. 1,547,  Zane Teilane ................................... 2003-06
3. 1,531, Ashley Luke .................................... 2013-15
4. 1,525, Robin Hasemann........................... 1988-91
5. 1,486, Kelle Lindbeck................................ 1981-84
6. 1,485, Michelle Maher.............................. 2013-16

Scouting the Braves: Bradley maintains a perfect 6-0 record this season with four of those decisions taking place inside Renaissance Coliseum. The Braves are outscoring their opponents by nearly 16 points per game while averaging 74.5. 

Gabi Haack and Lasha Petree guide the team in scoring with 17.2 and 16.3 points, respectively, and Chelsea Brackman is pulling down a team-high 10.3 rebounds per game. 

Next Up: Following the matchup at Bradley, the Leathernecks will take a trip to Carbondale, Ill., for the first-ever Compass Challenge. The two-day tournament includes all four state schools of the cardinal directions – Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Northern Illinois, and Western Illinois – and will be hosted by SIU. 
 
Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Now Playing:

Related Stories