Who | Western Illinois (7-2, 0-0) at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (3-3, 0-0)
When | Tuesday, Dec. 7 -- 7 p.m. CT
Where | Edwardsville, Ill. (First Community Arena at the Vadalabene Center)
Radio | Q98.1 (Will Thomas)
Social Media | Twitter + Instagram + Facebook + #TRADITIONofTOUGH
Quick Hits
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With a week remaining before final exams, Western Illinois women's basketball hits the road for a Tuesday (Dec. 7) tilt at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.
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The Leathernecks are coming off a three-game week that saw them go 2-1, including a memorable weekend that featured winning the annual Compass Challenge tournament.
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Hosting the event in its fourth year, WIU's Compass Challenge championship was its first in program history.
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During a win over Northern Illinois on Friday (Dec. 3), Evan Zars became the first Leatherneck to record a double-double this year (15 points and 14 rebounds).
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Multiple Western players achieved new career feats during the Compass Challenge.
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SIUE sits at 3-3 overall on the season, having played against several notable names, such as Kansas, Memphis, Illinois, and, most recently, Missouri.
Most Recently … | Prepared to host the 2021 Compass Challenge, Western Illinois women's basketball (6-2, 0-0) demonstrated a clear focus during day one of the annual tournament. Fighting against a talented Northern Illinois lineup, the Leathernecks went into its first overtime of the season, eventually coming out on top in a 92-83 finish. It was Western's first-ever win in a Compass Challenge game.
Fresh off of a performance that saw her enter the program's 1,000-point club, Danni Nichols put on a dazzling all-around display of 26 points, six rebounds, six assists, and two steals. The point total tied her career-high set at North Dakota on Jan. 26, 2020. Joining Nichols as an evening standout performer was Jada Thorpe. The shifty guard reached a new career-best in points (22), pouring in five three-pointers. Defensively, she was a menace -- swiping in five steals.
Western hit 16 team three-pointers for the second time this winter, striking nearly 49% from that distance. Evan Zars pulled down a season-high 14 rebounds with her 15 points. Elizabeth Lutz chipped in 13 points, six assists, and two steals. Anna Deets had ten points off the bench.
After staying alive in an overtime win last night (Dec. 3) versus Northern Illinois, the Leathernecks matched up against a heady Southern Illinois (2-3, 0-0) roster, pulling through in an 85-80 tournament victory during Saturday evening (Dec. 4). Nichols' 27 points were a new career-high, leading all scorers. She also added five rebounds and two steals en route to being named Tournament MVP. Zars, another all-tournament pick, scored 15 points for the second straight showing while tallying nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Samantha Pryor tied her season-high of 15 points (five threes), and Lutz posted a nice line -- 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. WIU shot a remarkable 57% from the field as a team; its best in a game this season.
Still Staying Strong | Currently holding a 7-2 overall clip, Western is at its best start since the 2017-18 season when it won ten of its first 12 showings.
WIU's seven wins are tied with Kansas City for the best mark among Summit League member institutions. The Leathernecks were picked seventh in this year's Summit League preseason poll.
Reaching the Summit | League play begins in two weeks for WIU, as a handful of players remain standouts within the individual ladders:
Danni Nichols:Â
Evan Zars:
Elizabeth Lutz:
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3rd in assists per game (4.2) and assists-to-turnover ratio (1.8)
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4th in steals per game (2.0)
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6th in free-throw percentage (.828)
Jada Thorpe:
A Brief History | It has been a few years since these two programs faced each other, as the last meeting happened on Nov. 27, 2016. That night witnessed Western win a nail-biting 76-74 closer on the road. The Leathernecks have the upper hand in the all-time series, holding a 9-6 advantage.
Scouting the Opposition | Gabby Nikitinaite and Ajulu Thatha are SIUE's go-to scorers, posting 12.2 and 10.0 points per game averages. Thatha is also grabbing over five rebounds in each contest. Allie Troeckler, a 5'10" graduate player that can produce both in and out, stands out defensively on the scouting report with 3.2 SPG. Lead guard Mikayla Kinnard leads the team in assists (3.2/game). The Cougars have picked up a few impressive wins, but their nightly 20.3 turnover average has been hurtful.
What's Next? | WIU returns to Western Hall on Saturday (Dec. 11) to host Greenville University at 2 p.m. CT.
