SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – After 22 days off from competition, the Western Illinois women’s basketball team (8-15, 6-8) overcame a 10 point deficit at the half, and Elizabeth Lutz sank two free-throws at the line with 1.6 seconds left to defeat No. 4 Kansas City (10-12, 7-9) 60-59 on Sunday (March 7) afternoon.
“What a good hard-fought game,” head coach JD Gravina said. “I am obviously proud of this team. I said in the locker room we aren’t known historically for being a team that excels in grind-out games and that’s what this was. It was a hard-fought defensive game where it came down to every possession and rebound.
“I thought we looked a little out of rhythm in the first half, and honestly, Grace carried us. We could have been out of the game at halftime. At the half, I could tell by the team’s mentality in the locker room that they were ready to battle.”
Western jumped out to a 7-4 lead (7:35) in the first quarter with back-to-back assists from Carla Flores, who ended with four-plus assists for the seventh time this season. Kansas City responded and went on a 10-0 run to force a WIU timeout. After that, the defense held them to five points, and a Lutz buzzer-beater made it a one-possession game (16-19).
Alissa Dins checked in and converted on a layup to start the second to make it a one-point game (18-19) at 8:44. However, the Roos responded on another run (8-0) and shot 48 percent from the field in the first half. Grace Gilmore scored 10 of WIU’s 13 points in the quarter as the halftime score read 38-28 KC. She ended with a game-high 22 points and was 8-10 at the charity stripe.
The Leathernecks locked down the KC offense and outscored them 14-6 in the third. Always seeming to find the clutch three, Sam Pryor drilled a corner trifecta at the 1:30 mark to tie it 42-42. A late basket pushed the opponent ahead 44-42 to enter the fourth.
Both sides traded buckets down the stretch in the final quarter, and after Danni Nichols hit a pair of shots from the line, Lutz tied with a three at 53-53 (2:34). Evan Zars gave the Leathernecks their first lead since the first quarter by drawing a foul on a big defensive rebound.
The lead changed hands twice, and Kansas City pushed ahead 59-57 (0:29) on steal and score. After a split at the line by the Purple and Gold, they sent the Roos to the line who missed both. With 1.6 left on the clock, Lutz drew a foul and sank the game-winning free-throws for the victory a
The victory marked many firsts – first postseason victory since the 2018-19 season, first win as the No. 5 seed in program history – was previously 0-6 lifetime, and first against Kansas City in postseason play.
No. 5 Western Illinois will take on No. 8 Omaha, who made history yesterday by upsetting No. 1 South Dakota State, tomorrow in the semifinals at 11:45 a.m.
***Recap courtesy of WIU Athletics***
