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Rachael Keating

Omaha Bound

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Western Illinois heads to Omaha as the final part of road stretch on Saturday (Feb. 6) and Sunday (Feb. 7).

Who | Western Illinois (4-14, 3-7) at Omaha (1-8, 0-4) 
When | Saturday (Feb. 6) at 3 p.m. and Sunday (Feb. 7) at 4 p.m. 
Where | Baxter Arena - Omaha, Neb. 
TV | OMavs.com 
Social Media | Twitter + Facebook #TRADITIONofTOUGH

Tip-Off | Western Illinois concludes back-to-back road series at Omaha on Saturday (Feb. 6) and Sunday (Feb. 7).   
 
Headlines 
  • On Saturday (Jan. 30) Evan Zars tied Stephanie Lovingood (2005-08) for 5th all-time in blocks with 73 en route to her Summit leading 7th double-double. 
  • Six players finished in double-figures in game two at UND for the first time since vs. Denver on Jan. 12, 2020.  
  • Western owns the all-time series 16-4 and has won the last 11 with a 6-3 record at Baxter Arena. 
  • Danni Nichols has scored double-digits in eight out of 10 Summit League contests this season for a total of 13 double-digit performances this year. She set a season-high 26 at North Dakota on Saturday (Jan. 30).
  • Three Leathernecks are averaging double-figures in Summit League play - Evan Zars (13.1), Danni Nichols (13.1), and Grace Gilmore (12.3).  
Summit Leaders | Both as a team and individually Western leads the conference in multiple categories - free-throws made (252), rebounds (637), steals (142) , steals per game (7.9), three-point field goals made (134). 
 
Individually
-Grace Gilmore | assists (65), free-throws made (86), and free-throws attempted (120)
-Elizabeth Lutz | steals (45) and steals per game (2.5)
-Evan Zars | double-doubles (7), minutes played (531), and rebounds (160) 
 
Minutes | Starters Evan Zars (531), Danni Nichols (526), Grace Gilmore (516), and Elizabeth Lutz (501) rank 1-4 in minutes played in the Summit. 
 
Scouting the Opposition | Omaha is under the direction of first year head coach Carrie Banks… the Mavericks are 1-8 with an 0-4 mark in Summit play… their series last weekend was canceled at South Dakota… the team returned five starters and 12 overall letterwinners. 
 
Last Time Out | The Western Illinois women's basketball team (4-14, 3-7) outscored North Dakota (1-14, 1-8) 43-28 in the second half for an 83-74 victory on Saturday (Jan. 30) night.
 
WIU took its first lead of the game (51-50) from a free throw by Grace Gilmore at 8:27 in the third quarter. The senior ended with 17 points as four Leathernecks - Danni Nichols (24), Evan Zars (14), Anna Deets (10), Sam Pryor (10) - also finished in double-figures.  
 
 Western Illinois went up 72-64 (5:19) midway through the fourth quarter. UND then went on a 7-0 run - all from the free-throw line- and made it a one-point game 72-71 (3:11), but  Pryor drilled the dagger three to end the comeback effort at the 1:50 mark and hold on for the series split.
 
Summit Tournament Update | The 2021 Men's and Women's Summit League Basketball Tournaments will be held without fans and the games will be moved to the Sanford Pentagon and played during the originally scheduled dates of March 6-9. 

Up Next | Western Illinois returns for the final time in Western Hall to host Denver (Feb. 12-13) and then has a bye week until the season finale on Feb. 27 and 28 and Oral Roberts. 
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