WIU (13-13, 7-10 OVC) opened the game ice cold, scoring just six points in the first 10 minutes while allowing the Redhawks (5-21, 3-14 OVC) to build a commanding 24-6 lead. The Leathernecks shot just 2-of-15 from the field in the opening frame, including 0-of-8 from three-point range, and committed five turnovers, leading to easy buckets for SEMO.

The struggles began immediately, as WIU misfired on multiple three-point attempts before committing back-to-back turnovers, allowing SEMO to jump out to an early 8-0 lead. The Leathernecks' first points didn't come until nearly three minutes into the game, when Addi Brownfield sank two free throws. However, the offense continued to sputter, as WIU failed to find open looks against SEMO's aggressive perimeter defense.

Meanwhile, the Redhawks couldn't miss, knocking down six of their first eight three-point attempts, with Zoe Best and Lexi McCully leading the charge. A deep three from McCully with 36 seconds left in the quarter gave SEMO an 18-point advantage, capping off a dominant opening 10 minutes.

The Leathernecks showed signs of life in the second quarter, outscoring the Redhawks 13-10 and finally finding a rhythm in the paint. Raegan McCowan led the charge, scoring six of her 13 points before halftime, while Mallory McDermott connected on a three-pointer to help trim the deficit.

Defensively, the Leathernecks made adjustments in the second half, suffocating SEMO's offense and holding the Redhawks to just two points in the third quarter. Addi Brownfield came up big on the defensive end, recording three blocks, while Western Illinois won the rebounding battle 33-26.

By the fourth quarter, WIU had cut the deficit to single digits, and a late three from McDermott made it a one-possession game with under a minute to play. After a defensive stop, Raegan McCowan made a layup with 17 seconds to go tying the game at 49 a piece. A foul by Madison Davis with 6 seconds left in the game sent the Redhawks to the line and they would make both free throws to get the victory by a score of 51-49.

Despite the slow start, Western Illinois outscored SEMO 43-27 over the final three quarters, but the early hole proved too deep to escape. The Leathernecks will look to rebound as they continue the road trip on Saturday as they will take on Little Rock at 1 PM.