By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

MACOMB, Ill. — The third game in a four-games-in-eight-days stretch for the Western Illinois’ women’s basketball team was never close, and the Leathernecks didn’t seem to mind.

Their 93-49 win over Eastern Illinois on Tuesday at Western Hall was the beginning of the final six-game run of the regular season for the Leathernecks, who extended their lead in the Ohio Valley Conference standings and had an answer for Saturday’s frustrating loss at Tennessee State.

“We got off to a good lead, and then we kept the pedal to the metal for a while,” Western Illinois coach JD Gravina said. “And then we were able to play relaxed and we needed that.”

Western Illinois (20-4 overall, 12-3 OVC) is up 1 ½ games in the conference standings. This game was the first in the closing six-game stretch in which the Leathernecks play five games at home.

“JD did a really good job in the locker room of reminding us to have a championship mentality,” said guard Allie Meadows, one of five Leathernecks in double figures in scoring with 12 points. “We knew we couldn’t come out flat. You can’t do that. You have to show everyone what you’re about, and we did that tonight.”

The 87-77 defeat at Tennessee State bothered Gravina, and it bothered his players as well.

“We knew that game wasn’t a representation of who we are,” said guard Madison Davis, who also scored 12 points. “We wanted to show it wasn’t going to bring us down.”

“We locked it and said it wasn’t going to happen again, and it didn’t happen again,” Meadows said.

Western Illinois started the game with a 10-0 run, led 21-7 at the end of the first quarter, and 43-19 at halftime. When the lead got into the 30s in the third quarter, Gravina was able to go deep into his bench and give his top six some rest. Only Meadows and guard Addi Brownfield played more than 30 minutes.

“To be able to rest everyone is big, because Thursday (against Little Rock at home) is going to be a tough one,” Gravina said. “They always play us really tough. So that was nice. It’s good to both get in a rhythm tonight and get some players some rest.”

Ten of the 11 Leathernecks who played scored.

“That’s the best feeling in the world,” Meadows said.

“I think that’s huge,” Davis said. “I’ve been in that spot (on the bench) and I think it’s good to get everyone some opportunities. We’ve been playing winning basketball, and we’ve done it as a team, so it was good that everyone got a chance to play.”

“It was a good team game,” Gravina said. “A lot of times in that situation you might have players who go out there who are just trying to get theirs. But we had players setting up Shelby (Bowman) for shots, or Katelyn (Eggena) for shots. That’s what you want to have.”

Mia Nicastro, who came into the game fifth in NCAA Division I play in scoring at 24 points per game, led the Leathernecks with 22 points. Brownfield had 11 points and Kaylen Reed added 10.

Eastern Illinois (4-22, 3-12) didn’t have a player score in double figures. Ella Lune and Adriana Arroyo each had nine points.

Photo: Western Illinois’ Addi Brownfield goes in for a layup in Tuesday’s win over Eastern Illinois. (Photo from WIU Athletic Communications)