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Western Illinois University Athletics

Sam Pryor
Josh Purnell
65
Western Illinois WIU 4-5
78
Winner Illinois State ILS 6-1
Western Illinois WIU
4-5
65
Final
78
Illinois State ILS
6-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western Illinois WIU 25 8 17 15 65
Illinois State ILS 14 20 19 25 78

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

Leathernecks Fall at Illinois State

Western Illinois drops 78-65 to the Redbirds on Wednesday (Dec. 4) night.

NORMAL, Ill. - The Western Illinois women's basketball team jumped out to an early first-quarter lead, but the Illinois State Redbirds regrouped and defeated the Leathernecks 78-65 on Wednesday (Dec. 4) night. 

"I felt like there were a lot of possessions where we made good plays, but the pass was just too hard," head coach JD Gravina said. "We didn't catch it and finish it right in that third quarter. Illinois State picked up their physicality, and that's something we struggled with."

At the end of the third quarter, WIU chipped away and made it a one-possession game (53-50, ISU). Annabel Graettinger completed a traditional three-point play, and Olivia Kaufmann sunk in the layup before the buzzer sounded. Graettinger totaled eight points from the charity stripe to set a new season-high. 

Danni Nichols made it a one-possession game again on a jumper at 7:50 in the fourth quarter. The Redbirds responded with a 13-3 run to end the Leatherneck comeback.  

Sparking the Western attack was Sam Pryor, who started the night off tying a career-high in filed goals made and three pointers. She checked in and silenced the Redbird Arena with three straight treys giving Western a 25-14 lead after the first quarter. 

Illinois State responded in the second quarter and earned its first lead of the game, 34-33, to go into the half. 

Evan Zars sunk a deep two and followed up with a spin move in the paint to cut the Redbird lead 41-47 at 4:12 in the third quarter. 

Western Illinois travels to the Windy City for a matchup against Chicago State Saturday (Dec. 7). 
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