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Western Illinois University Athletics

Dent at TSU
68
Winner Western Ill. WIU 17-10,10-4 OVC
61
Tennessee St. TSU 15-12,8-6 OVC
Winner
Western Ill. WIU
17-10,10-4 OVC
68
Final
61
Tennessee St. TSU
15-12,8-6 OVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Ill. WIU 34 34 68
Tennessee St. TSU 17 44 61

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | WIU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Leathernecks Tame Tigers in Road Win

WIU men lead the nation in road victories

NASHVILLE, TN – The Western Illinois men's basketball team remained road warriors this season in the Ohio Valley Conference, completing a Tennessee sweep on Saturday, knocking off Tennessee State 68-61 in Nashville. The Leathernecks improved to 17-10 overall, 10-4 in league play, and 8-1 on the road in the conference. 

Western Illinois' win gives the squad 10 victories on the road this season, the most since the 1957-58 season, when the team won 11, and ties the Leathernecks with UMass Lowell as the only teams in Division I men's basketball with 10 road victories.

Western Illinois now turns its focus to Western Hall, where the Leathernecks play their final four regular-season games with a chance at a regular-season conference title.

Defense led the way in the first half as WIU held Tennessee State to two points over the final 9:04, turning a 15-14 deficit to a 34-17 lead at the break.
Western Illinois held TSU to 6-30 (20 percent) shooting in the opening 20 minutes.

In the second half, the Tigers chipped away, cutting the Leatherneck advantage to four points, 48-44 with 8:12 to go. But Western Illinois locked in once again, going on an 8-1 run over the next 2:30 to lead 56-45.  From there, TSU drew no closer than the final margin.

Ryan Myers had his second-straight big night behind the arc, making 4-8 from three on his way to a team-high 22 points. Myers also added five rebounds and two assists. Drew Cisse finished with 14 points and five rebounds. JJ Kalakon added 11 points and four boards. Quinlan Bennett chipped in with eight points and five rebounds. Jesiah West had a team-high nine rebounds and five assists while scoring four points.

As a team, WIU went 22-56 from the field (39.3 percent), 6-19 from three (31.6 percent) and 18-26 from the line (69.2 percent). 

Western Illinois returns to Western Hall on Thursday, hosting OVC leader Morehead State at 7:30 p.m. The Leathernecks are currently in a three-way tie for second in the league with Little Rock and UT Martin, one game back of Morehead State.
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