Games 4 & 5 Preview: In-State Road Matchups

Wednesday, November 16, 2022 | By: WIU Athletic Communications

Leathernecks to face Northern Illinois, Chicago State.

GAME 4 INFO:
Who: Western Illinois (0-3) at Northern Illinois (2-1)
When: Thursday (Nov. 17) – 6 p.m.
Where: Convocation Center – DeKalb, Ill.

GAME 5 INFO:
Who: Western Illinois (0-3) at Chicago State (0-2)
When: (Monday (Nov. 21) – 6 p.m.
Where: Jones Convocation Center – Chicago, Ill.

SOCIAL MEDIA: @WIUWBB (Twitter + Instagram + Facebook)

Quick hitters:

Thursday's game against Northern Illinois marks the 41^st time in program history that these two teams have matched up, with the Huskies holding a 22-18 advantage in the all-time series. Western won last season's matchup, however, defeating NIU 92-83 at Western Hall.
Against Chicago State, the Leathernecks are 38-2 all-time in a matchup that dates back to Dec. 4, 1985, having won each of the last eight contests. Monday's game will be the first time since Nov. 22, 2017, that the Leathernecks have faced Chicago State in Chicago.
Western's perimeter defense is off to a strong start this season, currently holding opposing teams to just 29.6% shooting from three-point range this season while forcing 19 turnovers per contest. The Leathernecks rank second among Summit League schools for total steals (29) and third in steals per game (9.7).

Sharing the Floor
With changes to the roster during the offseason and a strong freshman class, Western's rotation is more wide open than it has been in quite some time and it has shown so far this season. Through the team's first three games, only Jada Thorpe (30.0) is averaging at least thirty minutes per game while Alissa Dins (28.3), Elizabeth Lutz (26.3) and Anna Deets (20.7) are at 20-plus. With Zareia Chevre (19.0), Carla Flores (15.0), Allie Meadows (14.0), Addi Brownfield (12.3) and Kennedy Flanagan (12.0) also averaging double-digit minutes of action per night, that makes nine different Leathernecks who have played at least 10 minutes in each of the team's three games this season.

Scouting the Huskies
NIU is 2-1 on the young season and coming off a 61-53 victory over Southern Indiana. Led by Chelby Koker's 15 points per game, three different Huskies are averaging double-figure scoring. The team has played two Power-Five opponents this season, falling at Notre Dame in the season opener and defeating DePaul 86-79 on Nov. 12 before matching up with Southern Indiana on Tuesday (Nov. 15).

Scouting the Cougars
Chicago State is 0-2 this season, with losses at Butler (84-57) and versus UIC (87-62). Head coach Andrea Williams is in her first season at the helm of the program after three seasons at Division-II Fort Valley State, where she accumulated a 28-34 record. The Cougars face Evansville on Wednesday (Nov. 16) and Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday (Nov. 17) before hosting the Leathernecks on Monday (Nov. 21).

A Season of Firsts
The 2022-23 season has been one of firsts for many players on this roster. Alissa Dins, Zareia Chevre, Mallory McDermott and Kennedy Flanagan have all made the first starts of their respective careers, while Allie Meadows, Addi Brownfield and Lily Randgaard earned the first minutes of their collegiate careers. Carla Flores has now made her first appearances since going down with an injury in the second game of the 2021-22 season, and Anna Deets earned her first start since January of 2021.

Career Highs
With increased playing time across the roster, several players have set career-best marks early in the season. Alissa Dins grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds against Minnesota on Nov. 11, before playing a career-high 33 minutes against Eastern Illinois on Monday. Zareia Chevre also set her career-best mark for rebounds against Minnesota, grabbing eight, while Anna Deets grabbed a career-high six boards against Eastern Illinois. Against Southern Indiana last Friday (Nov. 11), Jada Thorpe went 14-15 at the free throw line to set her career-high for free throws made in a single game.

Big Time Bench
Western's bench has played a big factor through three games this season, outscoring opposing teams' benches 62-60 – a stat that includes a 15-13 advantage against Minnesota on Nov. 7. Mallory McDermott leads all scorers who have come off the bench at least twice this season with seven points per game, while Carla Flores is close behind at 4.3 points per contest. After Monday's game against Eastern Illinois, that bench production prompted head coach JD Gravina to say, "We have a lot of players that have the ability to contribute."

Let it Fly
WIU's identity as a team in recent years has centered around the three-point shot, and the 2022-23 season appears no different. During the team's preseason press conference, head coach JD Gravina talked about the importance of taking and making shots from deep this season, emphasizing the idea of "letting it fly." After averaging 26 attempts from range last season, the Leathernecks attempted 24 and 29 in two preseason exhibition victories, before attempting 31 against Minnesota. While that number was lower against Southern Indiana last Friday, the efficiency was up, as the Leathernecks finished 7-14, before attempting 25 shots from deep against Eastern Illinois.

What is a Leatherneck?
Western Illinois holds the distinction of being the only non-military institution to officially have its nickname derived from a branch of the military. The school began the use of the Marine Corps' official nickname, "The Fighting Leathernecks," in 1927 when athletic director and head baseball, basketball and football coach Ray "Rock" Hanson was granted permission by the U.S. navy, based on his status as a Marine hero, to use the nickname.

Up Next
Leatherneck women's basketball will have some time off after Monday's road contest, next matching up with Tarleton State at Western Hall on Nov. 30. Tip off is scheduled for 5 p.m. and will be followed by a men's basketball game against Southern Indiana.

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