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Western Illinois University Athletics

TM
Rachael Keating
65
Western Ill. WIU 15-13, 6-10 SL
78
Winner South Dakota USD 17-10, 10-6 SL
Western Ill. WIU
15-13, 6-10 SL
65
Final
78
South Dakota USD
17-10, 10-6 SL
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Ill. WIU 35 30 65
South Dakota USD 35 43 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Men's Basketball Falls at South Dakota

Leathernecks will host Denver and Omaha in the final weekend of regular season play.

VERMILION, S.D. — A big second half by South Dakota was enough to get past the Western Illinois men on Saturday in Vermillion, S.D. as the Leathernecks fell 78-65. The loss drops Western Illinois to 6-10 in the Summit League and 15-13 overall.

In the opening 20 minutes, the Leathernecks went 6-11 (54.5 percent) from three and 14-28 (50 percent) from the field, not backing down to the 'Yotes. The Leathernecks and Coyotes played an even first half with the score tied, but in the second half, WIU went cold, most notably from three. With the two teams tied at halftime, 35-35, the Coyotes outscored the Leathernecks 43-30 after the break, pulling away in the final eight minutes. Western Illinois went 9-27 from the field, 0-9 from beyond the arc in the second half, unable to keep up with South Dakota, with the Coyotes coming out hot and going on a 12-0 run after WIU took a 50-46 advantage, grabbing a 58-50 lead with 9:17 to go in the game.

The Leathernecks would chip away, cutting the deficit to three, 60-57, after a Trenton Massner (18 points, 8 rebounds) three-point play with 7:51 left but USD scored 18 of the next 22 points, pushing the lead to 78-61 with 1:09 left. Massner's 18 and eight rebounds led the Leathernecks in both categories, as Luka Barisic added 16 points and four rebounds while Colton Sandage scored 15, had four rebounds and handed out three assists. Tamell Pearson scored  seven and Cam Burrell chipped in with six off the bench. WIU went 23-55 (41.8 percent) from the field for the game, 6-20 (30 percent from three) and 13-15 (86.7 percent) from the line. South Dakota went 26-57 (45.6 percent) from the field, 11-20 (55 percent) from three and 15-18 (83.3) from the line. South Dakota outrebounded the Leathernecks 32-28.

The loss keeps the Leathernecks in sixth place in the Summit, one game ahead of Denver with two games to play and returning home next week, hosting Omaha at 6 p.m. on Thursday and Denver at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
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