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Western Illinois University Athletics

Johnson
Sarah Twidwell
60
Denver DEN 5-11, 0-2
78
Winner Western Illinois WIUMM 6-9, 1-1
Denver DEN
5-11, 0-2
60
Final
78
Western Illinois WIUMM
6-9, 1-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Denver DEN 31 29 60
Western Illinois WIUMM 36 42 78

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

Western Illinois Closes Out Calendar Year in Win Column

Five Leathernecks score in double figures in a balanced 78-60 win over Denver.

MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois (6-9, 1-1) men's basketball team surged past Denver (5-11, 0-2), 78-60 for its first Summit League win of the season on Sunday (Dec. 30).
 
"We know what to do at both ends of the floor," head coach Billy Wright said. "It starts at the defensive end and on the offensive end, we move the ball to make shots. To get where we want to go, we have to believe in each other and believe in ourselves."
 
It was a contentious first half inside Western Hall with neither team able to securely gain the upper hand. There were six ties and five lead changes in the period, with the Leathernecks up by as many as eight points, 16-8, with 11:58 on the clock.
 
With the assistance of a 12-2 run, the Pioneers tied the game at 18-all (8:37) before a layup by David Nzekwesi provided the visitors with the lead. The advantage was short-lived as Kobe Webster drilled back-to-back jump shots on the opposite end of the floor and Western entered the break ahead, 36-31.
 
At halftime, Western had a pair of double-digit scorers in Webster (11) and Ben Pyle (10) guiding the side to a 48.3 percent shooting effort.
 
Denver tied things at 42-all in the second half but the basket was quickly countered by a connection between Ben Pyle and Jordan Hughes. Coming off the bench, Hughes made a wide-open layup with 13:52 left that propelled the Leathernecks on a 9-0 run and 51-42 lead.
 
The Western Illinois advantage grew to as large as 21 points (74-53) on a jumper in the paint by Isaac Johnson with 2:53 left in regulation.
 
Webster led the way with a game-high 22 points with four assists while Pyle finished with 15 points. C.J. Duff added 11 with three assists and Johnson totaled 10 points. Hughes recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. As a team, Western Illinois shot 50 percent for the field while going 13-for-17 at the charity stripe.
 
The Leathernecks open the new year at Oral Roberts on Saturday (Jan. 5) at 7 p.m.
 
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