MACOMB, Ill. – The William Woods University women's basketball team faced NCAA Division I Western Illinois University in an exhibition contest Tuesday evening on the road. The Owls fell 81-73 in the close contest. The loss does not count against the Owl's record but counts as an official game for WIU.

The Owls had an exceptionally good shooting night as they shot 49.2 percent, 51.9 percent from beyond the arc. Peyton Greenlee went 11-for-14 from the field while draining six of her eight threes for a floor-high 29 points. Bailey Rollins added five threes to put up 17 points.

The Owls return to conference play on Thursday with a home contest versus No. 4 Columbia College.
 
Game Flow
Bailey Rollins hit a three one minute into the game to put the Owls on the board first. WIU tied it up, but Peyton Greenlee took the Owl's only free throws of the game to take back the lead, 4-3.

WIU hit two more three-pointers and went 2-for-2 at the line to take an 11-8 lead, but Bailey Rollins hit her second three of the game to tie it up, 11-11.

Two WIU threes and a fast-break layup gave them an eight-point lead with 3:01 remaining in the quarter, 19-11.

A jumper from Kasey Hazell, followed by two three-pointers from Peyton Greenlee brought the Owls within four with 39 seconds on the clock, but WIU hit a three 11 seconds later to take a seven-point lead heading into the second quarter, 26-19.

The Owls managed to hold WIU to a 10-point advantage throughout most of the second quarter.

With 3:31 left in the half, Greenlee hit her fifth three of the night. Kasey Hazel made a short bucket in the paint almost a minute later to bring the Owls within four, but WIU pushed a 10-0 to close out the half with a 14-point lead, 49-25.

At halftime, Greenlee was shooting 87.5 percent from the field (7-for-8 FG, 5-for-6 3FG) with 20 points already on her stat line.

A 13-3 Owls run to start the second half brought the Owls within four just three and a half minutes in, 52-48.

A three from Ashleigh Frampton put the Owls within three with 5:26 on the board, 54-51. WIU hit a three to go back up by six, but Bailey Rollins hit another three to bring the Owls back within three, 57-54.

WIU scored six consecutive points to take a nine-point lead. Ashleigh Frampton closed out the scoring for the quarter, leaving the Owls trailing by seven, 63-56.

Peyton Greenlee, Bailey Rollins and Kaycee Gerald all hit a bucket to start the fourth quarter. Rollins' second three of the quarter cut the game to three with 6:42 to play, 69-66.

After two scoreless minutes, WIU scored seven to take a 10-point lead. Kasey Hazell scored back-to-back layups but the Owls were unable to stop WIU on their end of the court.

With 1:17 left to play, Lexy Ganaway hit a three to bring the game within six, 79-73, but WIU put the final touch on the game with a layup in the final minute.
 
By The Numbers
49.2 – The Owls shot 49.2 percent from the field on the night with a 51.9 three-point field goal percentage.
29 – Peyton Greenlee scored a floor-high 29 points after going 11-for-14 from the field.
9 – Kaycee Gerald pulled down nine boards.
6 – Peyton Greenlee hit six of eight three pointers, and Bailey Rollins went 6-for-8 from the field (5-for-7 3FG).
5 – Kaycee Gerald and Peyton Greenlee recorded five assists each.