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Western Illinois University Athletics

sam
Rachael Keating
75
Winner South Dakota SD 24-5,17-1 Summit League
48
Western Ill. WIU 14-14,5-12 Summit League
Winner
South Dakota SD
24-5,17-1 Summit League
75
Final
48
Western Ill. WIU
14-14,5-12 Summit League
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
South Dakota SD 10 20 25 20 75
Western Ill. WIU 15 16 9 8 48

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

Leathernecks Drop Regular Season Finale

Western Illinois finishes the regular season at a perfect .500, going 14-14.

MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois University Fighting Leatherneck women's basketball team played on Monday (Feb. 28), falling 48-75 to the Coyotes of South Dakota. Monday's game officially concluded the 2021-22 regular season, with the Leathernecks going 14-14 as they look towards postseason play.
 
"We knew they would come out fired up and we really battled hard in the first half," head coach JD Gravina said. "They're so physical, so talented and give no room for error. If you start making mistakes it fuels them offensively and the truth of the matter is their big three… is just so good."
 
It was the Leatherneck defense that set the tone early, holding the Coyotes to just two points during a four-and-a-half-minute stretch during the middle of the first quarter. South Dakota shot just 2-10 during that period as both teams struggled to find buckets, but two three-pointers from Anna Deets helped Western Illinois build a 15-10 lead. South Dakota would bring the game to within one point early in the second quarter, but Western responded with a 12-4 run that included 4-4 shooting to build a nine-point lead with 3:46 remaining in the first half. The 'Yotes' Chloe Lamb sound found a groove and out-scored Western Illinois eight to four down the stretch of the first half, but Western Illinois held a 31-30 lead at the break.
 
South Dakota's offense found a groove in the third quarter, scoring 25 points as the Leathernecks couldn't keep up with the potent Coyote offense. South Dakota's scoring would continue into the fourth quarter as the Leathernecks fell 48-75.
 
Elizabeth Lutz led the team in scoring with 12 points and finished the game with seven rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks. Danni Nichols paired 11 points with five rebounds while shooting 4-8 from the field, and Evan Zars scored nine to go with six rebounds and three blocks. Anna Deets went 3-5 from deep on her way to nine points, and Jada Thorpe finished with five rebounds and two steals. Playing in her final home game as a Leatherneck, Samantha Pryor scored three points on a shot from beyond-the-arc less than one minute into the second half.
 
As a team Western Illinois shot 17-50 from the field, hitting seven three-pointers and making seven shots from the line. The team finished with 34 rebounds (five offensive), scoring 20 points in the paint while the bench chipped in 11. The Leatherneck defense stepped up with six blocks and seven steals as the Coyotes turned the ball over nine times.
 
Late in the game Western fans had the chance to say one final goodbye to Samantha Pryor, who played her last regular-season game at Western Hall after nearly six years in the program. She was recognized prior to the game, and with less than one minute remaining, was subbed off the floor and greeted by a standing ovation from the Leatherneck faithful who were in attendance.
 
"Sam is a very loved kid who's been through a lot," Gravina said. "How much she's grown from a tough start and battling through injuries, she's just been through so much and she's been embraced by this team… she's really going to be missed."
 
Western Illinois is off to Sioux Falls, S.D., for the next matchup, participating in the Summit League Tournament. More information about the first matchup will be made available soon.
 
 
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