MACOMB, Ill. – The North Dakota State women's basketball team (9-11, 5-3 Summit League) fell at Western Illinois (12-8, 4-3 Summit League), 88-66, on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 24, inside Western Hall.

With the loss, the Bison fall to 9-11 overall and 5-3 in Summit League play, while the Fighting Leathernecks improve to 12-8 and 4-3 in league play.

Brooke LeMar led the Bison in scoring with 23 points on 9-for-21 shooting, and LeMar and Holly Johnson paced NDSU on the boards with six rebounds each.

Western Illinois was paced by Sophie Reichelt, who tallied a game-and season-high 24 points and career-high 18 rebounds, while Ashley Luke also netted a double-double with 18 points and 13 boards.  

The Bison shot 34 percent from the field in the contest, going 27-for-80, and were 7-for-23 from three-point range for 30 percent.

Western Illinois went 32-for-70 from the field for 46 percent and were 9-for-22 from long range for 41 percent. The Leathernecks made 15 of 19 free-throw attempts for 79 percent.

WIU outrebounded NDSU, 55-39, and outscored North Dakota State in the paint, 44-20.

The Bison jumped out to an early 7-0 lead with 18:26 to go in the first half on jump shots from Marena Whittle and LeMar and a three from LeMar, forcing a Western Illinois timeout.

WIU responded though, tying the game at 13 with 14:14 remaining in the stanza on a Luke jumper.

The two teams traded buckets until Michelle Maher hit a three with 1:30 to go in the half, giving the Leathernecks a 31-29 advantage. Maher ignited an 11-2 run that gave Western Illinois a 39-31 lead going into halftime.

Western Illinois continued its offensive surge to start the second half, scoring the first nine points of the stanza to balloon its lead to 48-31. The Bison couldn't get any closer than 15 the remainder of the game.

North Dakota State is scheduled to return to action on Saturday, Jan. 31, at South Dakota State. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. inside Frost Arena in Brookings, S.D.