MACOMB, Ill- The Leatherneck Women's Basketball Team showcased it's offensive firepower Saturday afternoon at Western Hall, routing Southeast Missouri State 94-66 in a game where three Leathernecks scored 20 or more points.
WIU (10-9, 4-6 OVC) set the tone early, jumping out to a 27-point first quarter and never looking back. Junior forward Mia Nicastro led the team on Saturday with a season-high 29-point performance on 10-of-18 shooting, including 8-for-9 from the free-throw line. Her contributions didn't stop there, as she added seven rebounds and three assists to cap a dominant outing.
Sophomore guard Raegan McCowan also poured in 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting while collecting nine rebounds and dishing out four assists. The bench points were also a big part in the victory for the Leathernecks as Freshman guard Madison Davis delivered a strong showing from beyond the arc, hitting four three-pointers en route to 21 points setting a new career high for points in a game. WIU's balance was evident across the board, with 22 assists on 29 made field goals and shooting an impressive 61.1% from deep as they made 11 three-pointers on just 18 attempts. The Leathernecks also capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 25-of-30 attempts.
Defensively, the Leathernecks clamped down in the paint, holding SEMO to 38% shooting while out rebounding the visitors 37-32. WIU's ability to turn defense into offense was on full display, as WIU scored 22 points off turnovers and 12 on second-chance opportunities.
With the win, the Leathernecks jump to 6th place in the OVC standings with 10 games remaining in conference play. WIU will now host the number one team in the conference on Thursday night as they will host undefeated Eastern Illinois. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m.
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