By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Western Illinois’ men’s basketball team came into Thursday’s home game against Southeast Missouri State ranked 347th out of 351 teams in free-throw percentage. And then all the Leathernecks did in the final 4 minutes, 47 seconds of the 68-61 win was make every free throw. The Leathernecks (9-6 overall, 2-0 Ohio Valley Conference) were 12-of-12 from the line, closing out their sixth consecutive win. “Now that conference has started, little things are going to matter,” said guard JJ Kalakon, who had the first four free throws in that final stretch on his way to … Continue reading WIU 68, SEMO 61: It’s A Grind, But Leathernecks Add To Streak

By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — It was hard for Western Illinois women’s basketball coach JD Gravina to decide what was more costly in Thursday’s 72-66 loss to Southeast Missouri State at Western Hall — the turnovers or the missed free throws. “Really,” he said, “aren’t they the same thing?” They were two sides of the costly empty-possession coin for the Leathernecks (10-3 overall, 1-1 Ohio Valley Conference), who trailed by 15 points in the first half and spent the entire game trying to figure out the 1-3-1 zone of the Redhawks (4-10, 1-2). Western Illinois made just 23-of-41 free … Continue reading SEMO 72, WIU 66: Leathernecks Hurt By Turnovers, Missed Free Throws