COOKEVILLE, TN – Establishing flow was not easy on Thursday night as Western Illinois fell to Tennessee Tech 77-66 inside the Hooper Eblen Center. WIU falls to 16-8 overall and 7-6 in the Ohio Valley
Western Illinois’ offense got rolling via the transition game as Addi Brownfield scored the first four points, giving WIU a 4-2 lead. Trailing 11-6, Mallory McDermott checked into the ball game and provided an immediate spark. McDermott knocked down her first of four three-pointers, cutting the WIU deficit to two at 11-9. Tennessee Tech grew their lead to 16-11 before WIU ended the quarter on a 6-0 run. Raegan McCowan had four points during the run, and Anna Deets had two as WIU headed to the second ahead 17-16.
WIU’s offense did not slow down in the first part of the second quarter as a 6-2 run grew the Leatherneck’s lead out to five, 23-18, with 8:30 left in the half. WIU offense slowed as Carla Flores free throws stopped a 5-0 Golden Eagles run just before the media timeout. WIU found baskets from Kennedy Flanagan and McCowan as they went into the halftime locker room down 35-30.
Finding themselves down 43-33 minutes into the second half, WIU’s offense got red hot. Allie Meadows started it with a fast break layup. The layup was followed by two McDermott three-pointers and a Brownfield layup as the game was tied at 43 a piece. McDermott and Flanagan traded baskets with TTU as WIU saw their first lead since the early parts of the second quarter at 46-45. TTU battled back as they took a 54-51 lead into the final ten minutes.
Tennessee Tech opened the 4th quarter with a 6-0 run, pushing their lead out 60-51. WIU clawed their way back into the game, cutting the deficit down to seven multiple times but falling 77-66.
Four Leathernecks finished in double digits, with Raegan McCowan leading the way with 18. Mallory McDermott was behind her with 16 points off the bench, knocking down four three-pointers. Addi Brownfield and Anna Deets chipped in ten points and six rebounds.
Western Illinois is back in action on Saturday as they take on Tennessee State for their final road game of the season.
