MACOMB, Ill.- The Western Illinois University women's basketball team closed out its regular-season road slate in dominant fashion Thursday night, defeating SIUE 79-61 inside the First Community Arena.

WIU set the tone early, jumping out to a 20-10 lead after the first quarter behind efficient shooting and active defense. The Leathernecks shot 50 percent in the opening and never trailed, carrying a 35-21 advantage into halftime. After SIUE trimmed the margin with a strong third quarter, Western responded with its most efficient stretch of the night in the fourth, shooting 77.8 percent from the field to seal the 18-point victory.

Mia Nicasro led the way with a dominant 36-point performance, going 14-of-19 from the field and 7-of-7 at the free-throw line while adding five rebounds and five steals. Addi Brownfield and Mallory Shetley each chipped in 12 points, with Brownfield knocking down a trio of three-pointers and Shetley adding four assists. Allie Meadows added 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, helping WIU finish with five made threes.

As a team, the Leathernecks shot 55.8 percent from the floor and 84.2 percent from the line. Western controlled the paint with 30 points inside and forced 12 points off turnovers, while also converting 14 fast-break points. The Leathernecks also outrebounded SIUE 32-33 in a tightly contested battle on the glass and held the Cougars to just 36.2 percent shooting overall.

SIUE was paced by 24 points from Kiyoko Proctor, including five three-pointers, but Western's balanced scoring and efficient offense proved too much down the stretch.

With the win, WIU secures its 24th overall victory and 16th conference triumph, continuing its strong push heading into postseason play.

FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS

For all the latest information on Leatherneck Women's Basketball, please visit GoLeathernecks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Leathernecks on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.