MACOMB, Ill.- Western Illinois dropped a road matchup at Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon, falling 87-77 at the Gentry Center Complex. The Leathernecks move to 19-4 overall and 11-3 in conference play. 

WIU had a pair of big offensive performances, led by Mia Nicastro's game-high 33 points on an efficient 13-of-22 shooting night. She also knocked down two threes and went 5-for-7 at the line. Madison Davis added 21 points on a near-perfect 6-of-7 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free throw line, while pulling down seven rebounds. Addi Brownfield chipped in 12 points, and Mallory Shetley added nine to round out the primary scoring. 

The game opened as a back-and-forth battle, with the teams tied 20-20 at the end of the first quarter. Western Illinois found success early in the paint and in transition, keeping pace with a hot-shooting Tennessee State squad that connected on four first-quarter three-pointers. 

Tennessee State edged ahead 36-34 by halftime, but the decisive stretch came in the third quarter. The Tigers erupted for 28 points in the period, using a mix of perimeter shooting and points off turnovers to build a double-digit lead. WIU continued to fight behind Nicastro's inside scoring, but TSU's run pushed the margin to as many as 18 late in the quarter. 

Western Illinois made a strong push in the fourth, pouring in 26 points and shooting over 60 percent in the period. A late 10-point run helped the Leathernecks trim the deficit, but Tennessee State answered at the free-throw line and on key possessions to keep the lead secure down the stretch. 

For the game, WIU shot 48.3 percent from the field and a solid 80 percent from the line, while holding a 38-28 advantage in points in the paint. Tennessee State countered with 47.4 percent shooting from three-point range and used a big third quarter to control the tempo and time with the lead.

The Leathernecks will come home for a home stretch to face Eastern Illinois, Little Rock, and Morehead State. 

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.