MACOMB, Ill- Western Illinois put on a show at Western Hall on Thursday night, taking down Lipscomb in the first round of the WNIT by a score of 89-74 behind a dominant offensive performance.
The Leathernecks (17-16) got off to a fast start, outscoring the Bison (20-12) in three of the four quarters and never letting up. WIU was led offensively by Raegan McCowan, who posted a double-double with 28 points and 15 rebounds, and Mia Nicastro, putting up 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists while adding two blocks on the defensive end. Mallory McDermott chipped in 16 points, draining three shots from beyond the arc.
Both teams came out firing in the opening quarter, but Western Illinois established their presence in the paint early. The Leathernecks outscored Lipscomb 17-10 in the first period, taking advantage of strong interior play and transition buckets. Mia Nicastro got going quickly, knocking down early jumpers and attacking the rim, while McCowan cleaned up the glass.
Lipscomb struggled from deep right out of the gate, missing their first five three-point attempts and shooting 0-for-10 from beyond the arc in the first quarter. By halftime, WIU had built a 38-24 lead, thanks to a 21-point second quarter. Nicastro and Mallory McDermott each knocked down key shots from the perimeter, helping WIU maintain its momentum. Meanwhile, the Leathernecks’ defense kept Lipscomb in check, holding the Bison to just 14 points in the second quarter.
One of the key factors in WIU’s first-half dominance was their rebounding edge. The Leathernecks out-rebounded Lipscomb 19-10 in the first two quarters, limiting second-chance opportunities and controlling possession. On the other side, Lipscomb’s offensive struggles continued as they shot just 5-for-17 (29.4%) from three-point range in the first half.
However, Lipscomb came out of the break with renewed energy, exploding for 30 points in the third quarter in an attempt to claw back into the game. The Leathernecks answered every run with a response of their own. McCowan continued to dominate in the paint, and Nicastro added several clutch baskets. The Leathernecks matched Lipscomb’s third-quarter push with 28 points of their own, ensuring the lead for WIU. The Leathernecks ability to score in transition was another major factor. The Leathernecks poured in 21 fast-break points, consistently beating Lipscomb down the floor for easy buckets.
With a 66-54 lead heading into the fourth quarter, Western Illinois closed things out in dominant fashion. Nicastro and McCowan continued to attack combining for 22 points in the fourth quarter. Nicastro would get a steal for a fast break layup late in the fourth quarter to seal the win for WIU. With the win tonight, it is WIU’s first postseason tournament win since March 17th, 2016 when WIU beat Southern Illinois by a score of 99-97 in Macomb in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational
The Leathernecks will now travel to take on Illinois State on Sunday, March 23rd, at 2 PM in round two of the WNIT.FOLLOW THE LEATHERNECKS
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***Story courtesy of WIU Athletics***
