Second Half Struggles Lead to 81-75 Loss at Western Illinois

Monday, February 6

Macomb, Ill.

8:00 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

7-17, 4-9

Western Illinois

10-13, 6-6

IPFW

Western Illinois

Photo by: Lucas Carter

Second Half Struggles Lead to 81-75 Loss at Western Illinois

2/6/2012 11:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

MACOMB, Ill. – Four Mastodons reached double figure scoring on Monday night, but the IPFW defense weakened down the stretch giving the Leathernecks an 81-75 victory at Western Hall.

The trio of Brittany Demery, Saule Kontautaite, and Sadie Webb led Western Illinois to their sixth conference win of the season (10-13 overall). Demery scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds. She was 10-for-12 from the floor and 3-for-4 from the charity stripe in her 26 minutes of action.

Kontautaite hit three 3-point field goals and went 8-for-9 from the free throw line giving her 21 points. Webb also connected from the line knocking down seven of her nine attempts. She ended the game with 18 points and six rebounds.

Anne Boese was the leading scorer for IPFW (7-17, 4-9 Summit). Boese got off to a quick start hitting the first jumper of the game for the 'Dons. She came back to knock down a triple minutes later giving IPFW a quick 8-2 edge. Stephanie Rosado used her height advantage early and often leading her to a 13 point, six rebound performance.

Amanda Hyde also crashed the boards as she recorded a team-high eight rebounds to go along with 11 points. Rachel Mauk and Rebecca Bruner helped the IPFW bench outscore Western Illinois 29-5. Mauk was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor, including two from distance to end the game with 10 points. Bruner scored a career-high seven points in 13 minutes.

IPFW led 34-29 at the half, but a scoring outbreak to start the second half from Brittany Demery got Western Illinois right back in the game. The 'Dons came out aggressive and quickly grabbed a nine point lead early 13-4. They maintained the spread midway through the half as an Erin Murphy jumper put them ahead 19-10.

A scoring drought in the final five minutes of the first half allowed the Leathernecks to cut into the lead. Murphy hit a three pointer at the 4:27 mark pushing the lead to 29-19. Minutes later the Leathernecks tied the game at 29-29 with 1:49 to play.

Despite the offensive woes, IPFW led by five at the break thanks to a three point field goal from Rachel Mauk. The difference in the game was early in the second half when Demery got in the paint and scored 12 of her 23 points in the first five minutes of the half. Her scoring outburst hurt IPFW in more than one way as Stephanie Rosado would be forced to the bench with four personal fouls.

Demery erased the halftime deficit and Western Illinois was able to grab a 49-48 lead with just over 13 minutes remaining. Rebecca Bruner replaced Rosado in the lineup and tied the game at 51-51 after an old fashioned three-point play, but Sadie Webb gave Western Illinois the lead and the 'Dons would never get it back.

The Mastodons will continue to face Summit League opponents on the road as a matchup with Oakland is next on the schedule. IPFW will face the Golden Grizzlies on Feb. 11. Tip is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

~ Feel the Rumble ~