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Western Illinois University Athletics

Pyle
Sarah Twidwell
65
Winner Western Illinois WIU 8-13, 3-5
59
South Dakota USD 9-12, 3-5
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
8-13, 3-5
65
Final
59
South Dakota USD
9-12, 3-5
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Illinois WIU 26 39 65
South Dakota USD 31 28 59

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

Second Half Run Boosts Western Illinois to Road Victory

Western Illinois completes the comeback in a 65-59 win at South Dakota behind Ben Pyle's double-double.

VERMILLION, S.D. – A 16-0 run in the second half propelled the Western Illinois (8-13, 3-5) men's basketball team to a 65-59 comeback victory at South Dakota (9-12, 3-5) on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 26). The Leathernecks have won back-to-back games and picked up their first Summit League road win since Feb. 8, 2017, at Oral Roberts.
 
"I'm proud in the fact that our team the formula of what it takes to be successful at both ends of the floor," head coach Billy Wright said. "We felt very comfortable in the first half because we got a lot of shots that just didn't go in. I told the guys at halftime to just keep playing defense and your shots will fall. We just kept getting stops and made shots down the stretch."
 
Both teams traded blows in the first half until Ben Pyle drained a corner triple for a 17-11 Leatherneck advantage with 9:53 on the clock. South Dakota went on a 10-2 run to snag a 21-19 lead after a Brandon Armstrong mid-range jumper with 6:18 to go. The Coyotes led 31-26 at the halftime break.
 
South Dakota extended the margin quickly to 38-26 within the first two minutes of the second half. Western Illinois got to work trailing 50-39 halfway into the second period and embarked on a 16-0 run from the 9:35 mark to the 4:47 mark. Isaac Johnson capped the run by burying a wing trifecta to put the Leathernecks in front, 55-50.
 
The contest was tied at 56 apiece until Kobe Webster drove inside for a layup to break the deadlock with 1:44 left in regulation. Webster created separation on a step-back 3-pointer with only 50 seconds left ticking for a 61-56 lead and Western held on for the come-from-behind victory.
 
Pyle collected his second career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Webster added 13 points and three assists while C.J. Duff contributed 11 points. Brandon Gilbeck scored 10 points with six rebounds and swatted three shots for a nation's best 80 blocks on the season.
 
The Leathernecks return to Western Hall on Thursday, Jan. 31 against North Dakota at 7 p.m.  
 
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