West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's men's basketball team secured a decisive victory against St. Ambrose University, winning 97-64 at Western Hall. This win improved the Leathernecks' season record to 5-4. The team's performance was marked by a strong offensive and defensive showing.

In the first half, WIU outscored St. Ambrose 39-26, shooting with a field goal percentage of 54.2% and making 13 three-pointers from 26 attempts. Senior guard Sean Smith led the team with a triple-double, scoring 24 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and providing 10 assists. His achievement marked the first triple-double by a Leatherneck since November 7, 2022.

The Leathernecks dominated inside play, scoring 42 points in the paint compared to St. Ambrose's 12 points. Kayden Carter and Tay Knox contributed significantly with a combined total of 21 points and 13 rebounds. Knox also achieved a double-double with his efforts.

Marko Maletic added to the team's success from beyond the arc by hitting four three-pointers on his way to scoring 21 points. The depth of WIU's bench was evident as they contributed an additional 13 points, thanks to players like Trey Deveaux and Massal Diouf.

Defensively, WIU forced St. Ambrose into committing ten turnovers while blocking five shots. They capitalized on these turnovers by converting them into twenty transition points.

In the second half, WIU continued their offensive momentum by adding another fifty-eight points through effective ball movement that resulted in nineteen assists for open shots and high-percentage opportunities.

WIU also controlled the rebounding game with forty-eight boards compared to thirty-one by St. Ambrose, including thirteen offensive rebounds that translated into fifteen second-chance points.

Looking ahead, Western Illinois will remain at home for their next game against East-West University scheduled for Friday night at seven p.m.

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