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Western Illinois University Athletics

WBB Huddle
Sarah Twidwell
90
Winner Western Illinois WIU 11-13, 7-4 SL
61
Purdue Fort Wayne PFW 6-17, 2-9 SL
Winner
Western Illinois WIU
11-13, 7-4 SL
90
Final
61
Purdue Fort Wayne PFW
6-17, 2-9 SL
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Western Illinois WIU 19 18 22 31 90
Purdue Fort Wayne PFW 9 9 19 24 61

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Leathernecks Rout PFW on the Road

Western Illinois held PFW to single digits in each of the first two quarters while attacking the basket on the opposite end of the court.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Western Illinois women's basketball team (11-13, 7-4 Summit League) led the entire way Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 6) in a 90-61 routing of Purdue Fort Wayne. The 29-point victory marked the Leathernecks' second-largest winning margin of the season as four finished in double figures in the team's third consecutive Summit League success. 

Olivia Kaufmann wrapped the afternoon with 20 points – 14 scored in the final quarter – while Danni Nichols added 17, Taylor Higginbotham 16 and Kyra Washington 11. 

Avery Hamm and Elizabeth Lutz each chipped in with nine points.

"It's so fun to see this team become the one we thought that we could be and the one that we're designed to be," said head coach JD Gravina. "I was really proud of them. I thought this was one of our better rebounding effort; we've really been trying to jailbreak the rebounds, putting some pressure on their transition defense in the hopes that it would hurt their offensive rebounding. That plan has worked a little bit so far. 

"In the words of Lou Brown from [the movie] Major League, 'We're starting to come together, boys. We're starting to come together." 

Points were at a premium through the early goings of Wednesday's contest, but Western never saw itself on the down side of the scoreboard. A one-point game, 8-7, quickly spiraled into an 11-0 run for the Leathernecks and by halftime, the visitors led 37-18. 

PFW was held to eight points in each of the first two quarters, crippled by 13 first-half turnovers, and Western took advantage of the extra opportunities for 13 points. 

Higginbotham lifted WIU up by 20 points on a layup just before the end of the third quarter and the advantage stuck through the final frame. 

The Leathernecks recorded their largest winning margin of the season in a 136-69 decision over MacMurray College on Nov. 12.

They will return to the court Saturday in a 2 p.m. matchup at Omaha. 
 
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