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Rachael Keating

Games 12 & 13 Preview: Reaching for the Summit

| By: WIU Athletic Communications

Leatherneck women’s basketball begins Summit League play, facing North Dakota State and North Dakota on the road.

MACOMB, Ill. - Leatherneck women's basketball opens Summit League play on the road this week, facing North Dakota State and North Dakota. The Leathernecks meet the Bison at 7 p.m. on Monday, then host the Fighting Hawks on Wednesday at 7 p.m.; Western Illinois is currently on a three-game winning streak after defeating Saint Xavier on Friday (Dec. 16).

GAME 12 INFO:
Who: Western Illinois (5-6) at North Dakota State (6-4)
When: Monday (Dec. 19) – 7 p.m.
Where: Scheels Center – Fargo, N.D.

GAME 13 INFO:
Who: Western Illinois (5-6) at North Dakota (7-3)
When: Wednesday (Dec. 21) – 7 p.m.
Where: Betty Engelstad Sioux Center – Grand Forks, N.D.

SOCIAL MEDIA: @WIUWBB (Twitter + Instagram + Facebook)
 
Quick Hitters:
  • Friday's game against Saint Xavier was the final non-league matchup for the Leathernecks, who will face Summit League competition for the rest of the regular season.
  • Western leads the all-time series against North Dakota State, holding a 19-12 record and winning five of the last seven matchups while splitting the season series last year. The Fighting Hawks have proven to be an even matchup historically, with a 5-5 record and split season series during the 2021-22 season.
  • Jayda Adams made her return to action against Saint Xavier on Friday (Dec. 16), playing seven minutes and scoring two points in her first game action since March 7, 2019, when she played at Duke. Adams suffered two ACL injuries before transferring to Cal State Northridge, where she didn't make an appearance last season.
 
Scouting the Bison
North Dakota State ended its non-league slate with a 6-4 record, finishing 3-0 at home and 2-4 on the road – including a 71-65 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Fargo. Led by Heaven Hamling's 15.3 points per game, the Bison are outscoring opponents by nearly five points per contest while shooting 41.4% from the field and 69% at the line. NDSU ranks fifth in the Summit League in total offense while sitting at third in points allowed (63.6) and scoring margin (4.7).

Scouting the Fighting Hawks
North Dakota finished atop the Summit League standings after non-league action with a 7-3 record. Led by a potent offense that is averaging 72.4 points per game and a scoring margin of 9.4 points per game that leads the Summit League, the Fighting Hawks are undefeated when playing in Grand Forks, and also boast the league's leading scorer in Katie Borowicz who averages 21.5 points per game. UND has won its last five-consecutive games.
 
History Beckons
Elizabeth Lutz has been a staple in the program over the last five years, making over 120 appearances and earning Summit League All-Defensive honors after averaging 2.2 steals last season. Offensively, Lutz is close to a huge milestone for any collegiate player: 1,000 career points. Entering this week's games against North Dakota and North Dakota State, Lutz is at 962 career points – meaning she's just 38 away from becoming just the 21st player in program history to score 1,000 points in a Leatherneck uniform.

Finding a Groove
Leatherneck women's basketball has built some momentum in recent games, winning three-straight and four of the last five contests. Across the last five games, WIU is averaging 78.2 points per game while holding opponents to an average of 66, scoring at least 83 points in each of the last three.

Thorpe in Double Digits
The team leader in scoring at nearly 13 points per game, Jada Thorpe has come up with some great offensive performances during Western's recent run of games. With double-figure scoring in five of the last six games, she's really turned it up during Western's three-game winning streak, going for 19, 16 and a season-high 21 points. Thorpe's ability to get to the line has continued to be a strength, as the guard from Chicago, Ill., made 11 free throws against Valparaiso on Dec. 9 before finishing 14-14 against Saint Xavier on Friday (Dec. 16).

Pesky Defense
Being aggressive on the perimeter has been a point of emphasis for this Leatherneck defense, and it's something that has shown up repeatedly throughout the non-league schedule. Through 11 games, no Summit League team has forced more turnovers than Western's 226, and the Leathernecks' turnover margin of 4.0 ranks second in the league. Elizabeth Lutz and Jada Thorpe have continued to create steals much like they did last season, as Lutz (2.1) and Thorpe (1.8) both rank among the best in the league at creating turnovers.

A Team Effort
One of Western's strengths in recent games has been the depth of the roster, and each of the team's 13 players appeared against Saint Xavier – the first time this season that has happened. There are five different Leathernecks who average over 20 minutes of action per game and five who play more than 10, and head coach JD Gravina acknowledged that someone like Lily Randgaard (averaging 8.1 minutes in her seven season appearances) "has been so close to earning minutes… she's a kid who's hard to not put out on the floor."

Make Your Free Throws
One of the biggest strengths of the Leatherneck team this season has been its ability to get to the free throw line, as Western currently leads all Summit League schools in free total throws made (207) and attempted (282), while ranking fourth in percentage (73.4%). WIU has made at least 20 shots at the line in six games this season and made a season-high 34 free throws against Saint Xavier – which tied for fourth-most in a single game in program history.

Leading the League
Western ranks among the top Summit League teams in several statistical categories. The team currently ranks third in three pointers made (77) and attempted (281), first in free throws made (207) and free throws attempted (282), fourth in total defensive rebounds (280), first in opponent turnovers (226) and second in turnover margin (4.0).

Up Next
Leatherneck women's basketball is back in Macomb after a short break for the holiday, hosting South Dakota State (Dec. 29, 6 p.m.) and South Dakota (Dec. 31, 2 p.m.) next week.
 
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