A dominant second half propels the Skyhawks past the 6-7 Western Illinois Leathernecks to move to 10-15 and 7-7 in the OVC.
After a tight first half, the Skyhawks turned on the jets and outscored Western Illinois 43-19 in the second to beat the Leathernecks and complete the season sweep.
Following some shooting struggles in recent games, the Skyhawks reversed course and shot over 50% from the field and over 37% from beyond the arc. This moves the Skyhawks to a 5-1 record when shooting over 50% from the field.
The Skyhawks had their way with the Leathernecks offensively, with four players scoring 10 or more points. Leading the way is sophomore guard Kenley McCarn, with 21 points and four assists. This is her fourth time this season topping the 20-point mark and her third time against OVC competition. Â
Other contributors for the Skyhawks include sophomore guard Daejah Richmond, who captured her third straight triple-double (17 points; 10 rebounds; six rebounds), junior forward Anaya Brown (14 points; 11 rebounds), and junior forward Shae Litteford (12 points).Â
Defensively, the Skyhawks played Western Illinois tight; limiting them to just 32.8% from the field. This is a massive disparity from the Leathernecks’ typical 43.7% from the field, which is second in the OVC.
The Skyhawks took advantage of the Leathernecks, taking advantage of pressure on defense to force turnovers. On the break, the Skyhawks doubled Western Illinois’ points 20-10.
The Skyhawks would go back and forth with the Leathernecks in the first half before taking complete control and holding the lead for the entirety of the second half; allowing just 19 points in the second half. The Skyhawks scored 23 in the third quarter alone.
Looking ahead, the Skyhawks travel to Edwardsville, Illinois, to take on the 2-12 SIUE Cougars in their second matchup of the season on Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. In their last meeting, the Skyhawks took a 72-65 win over the Cougars.
