Who | Western Illinois (14-11, 5-9) versus South Dakota State (9-14, 5-8) and South Dakota (14-10, 8-5)
When | Thursday, Feb. 17 | 6 p.m. CT | Saturday, Feb. 19 | 2 p.m. CT
Where | Macomb, Ill.
Social Media | Twitter + Instagram + Facebook + #TRADITIONofTOUGH
Last Time Out | Western Illinois women's basketball wrapped up a three-game road trip from Thursday through Monday, going 2-1. WIU defeated North Dakota State 61-59 and North Dakota 85-73.
Watch Out | Senior guard Danni Nichols was named to the Mid-Season Watch List for the 2022 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award, joining 14 other athletes on the watch list. Nichols is having a career year in her fifth season as a Leatherneck, averaging a team-leading 16.4 points per game and sitting in the top-five among players in the Summit League, while shooting 53.0% from the field and grabbing 4.7 rebounds. A native of Columbia, Mo., Nichols was named Summit League Player of the Week on Dec. 6, her first time earning the award.
Double-Digit E | Elizabeth Lutz has been one of WIU's most consistent scorers this season. She's the squads' second-best scorer this season at 12.2 points per game and has scored in double-figures in ten straight games, while averaging 15.8 points per contest over her last five and shooting 46.2 percent from three. She's coming off a season-high 20 point performance versus Oral Roberts, where she also tied her career-high with seven steals.
On the Glass | Evan Zars put up another big rebounding game versus the Golden Eagles with a season-high 18 rebounds. It's the eighth time Zars has finished with 10-plus rebounds in a game this season and now gives her three double-doubles, and the 18-rebound performance is the most in a game by a Summit League player this season. Zars is currently first in the Summit League in rebounding average with 9.3 per game and is 28th in the nation in total rebounds with 232.
Scouting the Opposition | South Dakota State has been the hottest team in the Summit League with nine consecutive victories, currently second in the Summit League standings at 13-1 in Summit League play. South Dakota has won two straight games and also sits at 13-1 in conference play, holding 20-5 overall record that has them first in the Summit League standings.
A Historic Career | On Saturday, Western Illinois women's basketball will say goodbye to Samantha Pryor. Pryor arrived on campus back in 2016 and will play her final game inside Western Hall after a six-year career. Her first season was historic for Western Illinois, with winning the Summit League conference tournament and making the NCAA tournament. Her role increased during her sophomore season, making 28 appearances. After suffering a season-ending injury ahead of her junior season, Pryor took a redshirt year for the 2018-19 season and returned to appear in 29 games during the 2019-20, averaging 7.1 points per game and making 51 triples. Last season, she played an average of 18.1 minutes per contest and appeared in all 24 games for WIU, and set a career-high with 21 points and seven made triples against Denver on Feb. 12, 2021. Pryor has started all 25 games this season for the Leathernecks.
What's Next | Western Illinois wraps up the regular season with two road games next Thursday (Feb. 24) against Omaha at 7 p.m. CT and Saturday (Feb. 26) against Denver at 3 p.m. CT.
