By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

MACOMB, Ill. — The little things add up for losses, a lesson Western Illinois’ basketball team is learning a lot these days.

Thursday’s 62-51 loss to Little Rock at Western Hall was the fifth consecutive for the Leathernecks (8-12 overall, 2-7 Ohio Valley Conference), who are looking at this four-game homestand as a chance to get right after their recent struggles.

“We keep stringing together Ls,” guard Sean Smith said. “We have to figure out a way to turn it around.”

Western Illinois missed 12 free throws, and went 4 of 18 in 3-pointers. The Leathernecks committed 12 turnovers that turned into 11 points for the Trojans (12-7, 6-2). Little Rock had 13 second-chance points off 10 offensive rebounds.

“We have to be better at all aspects,” Smith said. “Rebound better, defend better. They don’t score, they don’t win. Just try to play defense better.”

“Mistakes,” Western Illinois coach Chad Boudreau said. “It’s the same things. It’s what bad teams do. We shot ourselves in the foot multiple times, whether it was some breakdowns defensively, not boxing out on a free throw, taking quick shots when we want to get the ball moving side to side, and we miss free throws. 

“I talked to the team afterwards, and I said we’re going to continue to lose games if we just can’t execute. And I’m not talking about executing at an elite level. If we can’t just execute at an above average level, we will continue to lose games because the little things are killing us. We’re not long enough, we’re not athletic enough, to play through some of those things.”

Little Rock’s length, especially on defense, bothered Western at times. The Trojans double-teamed and trapped the Leathernecks, but they were expecting that.

“We game-planned for it, we were prepared for it,” said Smith, who led the Leathernecks with 16 points.

Western Illinois, which won 21 games last season, came into this season considered as a contender for the OVC title. The Leathernecks are in 10th place in the 11-team league as they reach the halfway mark with Saturday’s home game against Southeast Missouri State.

“We won a lot of games last year, close games because we didn’t make those mistakes down the stretch,” Boudreau said. “And what we lacked in shooting, we made up with athleticism and defense and rebounding and second-chance points, and we’re not getting those things now.”

Marko Maletic added 15 points for the Leathernecks. Guard Ryan Myers, second on the team in scoring at 13.7 points per game, had just two on 1 of 14 shooting.

“Ryan doesn’t shoot like that,” Boudreau said. “But that’s the kind of night it was for us.”

Johnathan Lawson led Little Rock with 25 points.

“We’re at home, so just trying to just stick together,” Smith said. “This game’s over, we can’t go back. Just try to get the next one, everybody just do their job and take care of their business, and we’ll be good.”