MACOMB, Ill.- The Western Illinois women's basketball team used a dominant fourth quarter to secure an 84-73 victory over Little Rock on Thursday evening at Western Hall.

With the win, the Leathernecks improved to 21-4 overall and 13-3 in conference play, while Little Rock fell to 12-13 (8-7).

Western Illinois came out strong, jumping to a 24-13 lead after the first quarter. The Leathernecks shot 52.9 percent from the field in the opening frame and capitalized on turnovers, turning defense into early offense. Addi Brownfield and Kaylen Reed combined for 13 first-quarter points to help set the tone.

WIU carried that momentum into the second quarter, pushing its lead to as many as 13 points. Mia Nicastro began to find her rhythm offensively, finishing the first half with 13 points as the Leathernecks took a 46-36 advantage into the break.

Little Rock responded in the third quarter, outscoring Western Illinois 21-9. The Trojans caught fire from beyond the arc and used a late surge to take a 57-55 lead heading into the final period, marking just the second lead change of the contest.

Facing its first deficit since the opening minutes, Western Illinois answered powerfully. The Leathernecks erupted for 29 fourth-quarter points while holding Little Rock to 16. Nicastro took over down the stretch, finishing with a game-high 37 points on 11-of-20 shooting and a perfect 13-of-13 mark from the free throw line. She added six rebounds and three blocks in a complete performance.

Brownfield added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Reed chipped in 15 points. Allie Meadows contributed seven points and three rebounds, and Madison Davis provided a spark with eight points off the bench.

As a team, Western Illinois shot 50.9 percent from the field and an impressive 96 percent (24-of-25) from the free throw line. The Leathernecks also forced 10 steals and scored 20 points off turnovers.

Western Illinois will look to carry the momentum into its next conference matchup as the regular season continues. The Leathernecks will stay home as they face Southern Indiana and Morehead State. 

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