OMAHA, Neb. – The Omaha women's basketball team was upended in Macomb, Ill. by Western Illinois, 74-55. The Mavericks had a strong first-half showing, but 11 Leatherneck 3-pointers in the second half helped the hosts pass up UNO during the third quarter and stay there. The road loss takes Omaha to 11-10 overall and to 4-5 in Summit League play, while WIU improves to 12-10 overall and 5-4 in the league.
Omaha had two players in double-digits led by Mikaela Shaw's ninth double-double of the season. Shaw had a game-high 23 points and 12 rebounds. The junior added three assists, two steals, and a blocked shot. Amber Vidal had 13 points and three assists. Caroline Hogue had eight points, six blocked shots, and five rebounds. Abi Lujan chipped in three points and grabbed seven boards.
Michelle Maher led Western Illinois with 23 points, including six 3-pointers. Sophie Reichelt had 16 points and six rebounds, while Taylor McClintock added 14 points. Emily Clemens chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.
Omaha shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field, but managed only 5.9 percent (1-of-17) from 3-point distance. Western Illinois was 33.3 percent (23-of-69) from the field, but 42.9 percent (12-of-28) from distance. The Leathernecks won the battle on the boards, 48-33, including a 19-2 margin in offensive rebounds. UNO blocked seven shots on the day compared to none by WIU.
The game started off slowly as the two teams were tied at 4-4 with 4:19 left in the quarter. Buckets by Shaw, Remy Davenport and Marissa Preston extended the Mavs lead to 10-4. A McClintock three cut the lead to 10-7, but Hogue would finish off a three point play as Omaha lead 13-7 at the end of the quarter.
Kalen Phillips opened up the scoring for Omaha in the second quarter with a fast break lay-up. Then Shaw scored five straight points to push UNO's lead to 13 with 7:40 left in the half, 20-7. The Mavericks extended their lead to 15 points on a three-point play from Shaw, 27-12. Western Illinois chipped away at the UNO lead over the last 3:54 of the half holding the Mavs to only two points. Omaha led at the half 29-22.
Things took a turn on the Mavericks in the second half. Two jumpers from Reichelt to start the third quarter cut the Omaha lead to five with 8:31 left in the period. A 3-pointer by Maher was followed by back-to-back three's by Higginbottom. This erased the UNO lead and tied the game, 35-35. Another Maher trey gave Western Illinois its first lead of the game, 38-35. The Leathernecks extended their lead to five after a pair of free throws by Emily Clemens. Omaha regained the lead thanks to a pair of Vidal free throws and a 3-pointer by Lujan at 42-40. Five quick points from McClintock and a 3-pointer by Maher allowed Western Illinois to retake the lead with 2:30 left in the quarter, 48-42. Two Shaw jumpers and a lay-up by Vidal got the Mavericks back within a point towards the end of the period. Maher's fourth 3-pointer of the quarter gave WIU a 52-48 lead at the end of the stanza.
Omaha started off quickly in the fourth quarter as Vidal slashed her way to the basket for an uncontested lay-up. Omaha was not able to continue the momentum as Western Illinois pushed its lead to 10 points with 5:27 left in regulation, 62-52. A free throw and a made layup by Vidal brought the lead back to seven points with 4:31 remaining, 62-55. The Leathernecks would keep the Mavericks off the scoreboard the rest of the quarter as they ended the game on a 12-0 run.
Omaha returns home for three straight games starting with Summit League leader South Dakota State on Thursday, Feb. 4. Tipoff from Baxter Arena is set for 7 p.m. The homestand continues on Sunday, Feb. 7 against South Dakota at 2 p.m., before wrapping up with IPFW on Thursday Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.
