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Western Illinois University Athletics

Annabel Graettinger
Sarah Twidwell
85
Western Ill. WIU 12-16
94
Winner Denver Denver 16-12
Western Ill. WIU
12-16
85
Final
94
Denver Denver
16-12
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western Ill. WIU 20 23 28 14 85
Denver Denver 26 22 21 25 94

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Back-and-Forth Ballgame Falls to Pioneers

Western took the lead in the third quarter and maintained it until the midpoint of the fourth.

DENVER, Colo. – The game swung back and forth in favor of both Western Illinois and Denver Thursday afternoon, but it was the Pioneers women's basketball team that claimed victory, 94-85. 

Annabel Graettinger poured in a career-high 24 points and Taylor Higginbotham 23, as the Leathernecks recorded four in double-figures. 

"Man, we did such a good job of battling for so long, and then there were three or four possessions there in the fourth quarter where we missed an easy finish," said head coach JD Gravina. "We were finishing well all game, and then all of a sudden, we missed a couple of easy ones, and they got one on the other end. It switches things when you've got four-point swings both ways." 

The Pioneers saw an early 7-2 lead diminished to a tie, and that's how the rollercoaster ride of a game played out. Each side went on offensive spurts -- Denver up by eight, 19-11, before a 7-0 WIU run and up by 13, 39-26, until six unanswered Leatherneck points – and the home team remained ahead until the third quarter. 

The Pioneers entered halftime with a 48-43 advantage, but near the midpoint of the third Grace Gilmore struck for Western's first lead. She sent in a 3-ball to push the Leathernecks to a 56-55 edge, and back-and-forth scoring ensued before Graettinger's off-balanced, corner trey (3:25) cemented the team's lead for the next 8:25. 

The Leathernecks took their largest advantage at 78-71 with 5:53 remaining in regulation, but an 11-0 counter by Denver helped it to the final score. Western was limited to one field goal in the last five minutes of play.  

"We did a good job on their shooters, held them to 8-of-26 from three. I think we sped them up, forcing 16 turnovers, but then when they started attacking the basket we didn't do as good of a job, collapsing back in. There were some 50-50 plays on loose balls and rebounds that we didn't make and that allowed them to get that lead." 

Olivia Kaufmann and Gilmore rounded out Western's double-digit contingent with 18 and 13 points, respectively, and both Kaufmann and Higginbotham added eight rebounds. 

The Leathernecks close out their regular season on the road at South Dakota State Saturday at 2 p.m.  
 
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