By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

EVANSVILLE, Indiana — Mallory Shetley is no stranger to big games, having played in the NAIA national tournament in all five of her seasons at Columbia College.

Her 27 points for Western Illinois in Friday’s 74-66 win over Southeast Missouri State in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament semifinals was just another one of those big moments.

“I think it was big for our whole team,” Shetley said. “It was one of those games where you can’t let the big moments get to you. You have to play like it’s the same game you play every day.”

Shetley was 12 of 17 from the field, adding five rebounds and an assist.

Shetley had 17 points in the second half as the Leathernecks rallied from being down 16 points early in the fourth quarter.

“I knew I needed to do my part and get my team going,” Shetley said. “I knew we weren’t going to come back from down (from 16 points) with one basket that would get us 20 points. We were just going to have to chip away at it throughout the whole game.”

“Credit to Mallory for keeping us in it,” said forward Mia Nicastro, the Leathernecks’ leading scorer this season who went scoreless in the first half. “That’s what I love about this team, and what’s so special about us. I mean, I can have zero points in the first half and they’re gonna pick me up. Like Mal, with the game of her life. I mean, she really stepped up to the plate.”

Shetley had six of the Leathernecks’ 10 first-quarter points, keeping them within single digits as SEMO took control of the game.

“I think just overall, I just let the game kind of come to me,” Shetley said. “I don’t think anybody was trying to play outside of themselves today. We were just taking it possession by possession, and letting the game come to all of us.”

Shetley, who was able to get one year of eligibility at the NCAA Division I level for this season, was brought in by coach JD Gravina because of her experience and what she had done at Columbia — she was the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,197 points. Because of her experience, Gravina had dubbed her “a sixth starter” for the Leathernecks, who had everyone back from last season’s team.

Shetley, though, became a starter in late December after Raegan McCowan, a two-time first-team All-OVC pick and the Leathernecks’ leading scorer the last season, went out with an elbow injury that has sidelined her for the rest of the season.

Shetley has made 20 starts this season, averaging 10.4 points and 3.9 rebounds.

“She’s made big plays for us all season,” Gravina said.

Photo: Western Illinois’ Mallory Shetley drives to the basket in the first half. (Ohio Valley Conference)