By JOHN BOHNENKAMP Raegan McCowan was passing the ball during Western Illinois’ warmups before Thursday’s game with Southeast Missouri State when teammate Addi Brownfield walked by her and playfully slapped her left arm. Then Brownfield realized what she had done. … Continue reading THE MONDAY TIPOFF: WIU’s McCowan Watches While Waiting For Elbow To Heal
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Western Illinois is alone at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball standings, which is why coach JD Gravina challenged his team before Saturday’s game against UT-Martin at Western Hall. The 80-54 … Continue reading WIU 80, UT-MARTIN 54: A ‘Championship Level’ Game For The Leathernecks
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Danny Stephens got to play 26 minutes in Western Illinois’ 84-44 loss to UT-Martin on Saturday. That’s a big deal for a player who came to the Leathernecks having not seen any game action for two seasons. The playing time, even in a defeat like this one, is “very important,” Stephens said. “I mean, I haven’t played a game the last two years, and then even my senior season (of high school) got cut short,” Stephens said. “You can’t replicate these game reps in practice. I’ve had a lot of practices, but these games, … Continue reading UT-MARTIN 84, WIU 44: More Minutes Help Stephens Shake Off Rust
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Makai Kvamme was part of three Illinois state high school championship teams at DePaul Prep, so he’s used to winning. What he’s going through in his first season at Western Illinois is something completely … Continue reading SEMO 78, WIU 74: Leathernecks Can’t Find The Plays To Break The Skid
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — JD Gravina knows his team can wear out opponents. It was a message the Western Illinois women’s basketball coach gave to his team in Thursday’s game against Southeast Missouri State at Western Hall, and his players responded with a second-half fury to win 69-55. “I told our team, I think we’re the type of team that if we just keep playing aggressive, it’s hard for teams to keep up for 40 minutes,” Gravina said. The Leathernecks had a 10-0 run to end the third quarter, then had a 12-0 run in a three-minute stretch … Continue reading WIU 69, SEMO 55: Leathernecks Deliver In Second Half
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP Mia Nicastro’s approach to every game is the same. “I kind of like to come into every game with the mentality and the mindset that I’m the best player on the floor,” the Western Illinois senior forward … Continue reading THE MONDAY TIPOFF: ‘Superstar’ Nicastro Has The Mindset, And The Numbers To Go With It
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — It was the kind of game where one could look at the box score and find the points that got away. Western Illinois’ men’s basketball team fell 59-54 to Tennessee Tech on Saturday at Western Hall. It was the sixth consecutive loss for the Leathernecks (4-13), who dropped to 0-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Leathernecks opened the game with an 8-0 run, led by as much as 10 points late in the first half before leading 26-18 at halftime, and then let the Golden Eagles (7-10, 2-4) come back in the second … Continue reading TENNESSEE TECH 59, WIU 54: Leathernecks’ Losing Streak Gets More Frustrating
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Western Illinois’ women’s basketball team won’t be back at Western Hall for a while. But the Leathernecks leave for a four-game road trip at the top of the Ohio Valley Conference standings. Mia Nicastro scored 25 points as the Leathernecks defeated Tennessee Tech 77-60 on Saturday. Western Illinois, 13-2 overall, is tied for the OVC lead with Southern Indiana with a 5-1 league mark. The Leathernecks’ upcoming road trip will end with a January 24 game against the Screaming Eagles. “I think this win, more than any others we probably had, has kind of … Continue reading WIU 77, TENNESSEE TECH 60: Leathernecks Hit The Road
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — There is no panic in Western Illinois’ women’s basketball team, and that comes from the Leathernecks’ experience. It’s why it didn’t take long for them to dig out of a first-quarter deficit and take … Continue reading WIU 76, TENNESSEE STATE 59: No Panic In Veteran Leathernecks
By JOHN BOHNENKAMP MACOMB, Ill. — Isaiah Griffin knows how quickly a season can flip. Griffin was on an Idaho State team two seasons ago that finished 14-20 and went 7-11 in Big Sky Conference play. But the Vandals got hot in the conference tournament, winning two games to reach the semifinals as the eighth seed in the 10-team event. It’s why Griffin, now playing at Western Illinois, is telling his teammates to keep working this season despite their current record. “I’m one of the older guys, I’ve played a lot,” Griffin said after the Leathernecks fell to Tennessee State … Continue reading TENNESSEE STATE 90, WIU 68: Leathernecks’ Skid Hits Five Games
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