MACOMB, Ill. - A gritty afternoon from start to finish, Saturday saw Western Illinois women's basketball (11-5, 2-3) fall at home to the Bison of North Dakota State (7-10, 3-4) in a 63-55 decision. The Leathernecks used a more improved second quarter to rise from a double-digit deficit, followed by a second half full of aggressively drawn fouls.
The game began with slow scoring for both sides, headlined by fouls and turnovers. Danni Nichols scrambled to get open for a three-pointer at the 2:34 mark, tying the margin at 10-10. Elizabeth Lutz then made two free throws almost two minutes later, but WIU remained trailing, 18-12, at the end of the quarter.
NDSU got on a roll to open the second, sparking a 7-0 push. Lutz kept up her attacking game while reserve guard Anna Deets provided a boost with two threes. Piecing together a 7-0 run of its own, Western found itself trailing by six with less than four minutes before the break. In another late stretch, three different Leathernecks scored for seven consecutive points totaled in just over a minute. Both teams tallied 14 points apiece, as NDSU led 32-26 at halftime. Evan Zars was productive in totaling seven points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes of playing time.
The third quarter opened with many fouls, paced by Nichols, who went 10-10 at the free-throw line. A fast-break basket by Jada Thorpe cut the Bison's lead to 36-35 at 7:21. Both teams continued to trade possessions, with NDSU finding a way to keep its narrow lead. After Lutz spotted Deets for a high, left-wing triple as the quarter winded down, the Leathernecks were still close at the end of three, 48-44.
Similar to the first three frames, the fourth witnessed more back-and-forth play. Zars pivoted into the paint for a smooth, fadeaway jumper to make it a one-possession game after 2.5 minutes. Thorpe especially stood out by making plays, but WIU simply could not get over the hump.
Nichols (14), Zars (11), Thorpe (11), and Lutz (10) all scored in double-figures for Western. Zars also added ten rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Lutz chipped in eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Deets finished with three makes from beyond the arc for nine points. Western's
Next, WIU heads to South Dakota, facing the Coyotes on Thursday (Jan. 20) for a 7 p.m. CT tilt.
