MACOMB, Ill. – SIUE women's basketball trailed by six entering halftime, but Western Illinois extended its lead to double-digits following a 5-0 run to open the third quarter and never looked back to down the Cougars, 84-56, on Saturday afternoon at Western Hall.
SIUE concludes the 2023-24 season 5-26 and 2-16 against Ohio Valley Conference opponents. The Leathernecks improve to 18-11 and 9-9.
"I thought we had some good fight this season," Head Coach Samantha Quigley Smith said. "We played a lot of close games."
Through SIUE's first 10 games of the season, senior guard KK Rodriguez ranked third in the NCAA in total points (207), third in free throw attempts (63), third in free throws made (53), ninth in scoring average (23.0), and seventh in three-point percentage (.541). Her 47 rebounds and .482 shooting percentage ranked fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference. Her 33 assists stacked up third in the league. Rodriguez left at SIU Carbondale with an injury and missed the remainder of the season.
Rodriguez earned three consecutive OVC Player of the Week nods and garnered national attention on Nov. 28 when the Associated Press featured the guard as a player to keep an eye on. She scored 30 or more points on four occasions.
"So many players stepped up when they had to," added Smith. "They played a lot of minutes. The outcomes weren't always what we wanted, but they gave it their all and got a lot of experience. I'm proud of them."
On Jan. 16, Ava Stoller was named the league's Freshman of the week following a pair of performances vs. Southern Indiana and Morehead State. The guard averaged 11.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists over the two games, including her first collegiate double-double against MSU. Stoller concluded her first collegiate season of basketball averaging 9.6 points and 5.0 rebounds.
Junior Sofie Lowis, who led the Cougars' scoring efforts at 11.6 points per game, moved into seventh in program history with 143 career three-pointers made. She converted five or more from deep in six games, including a career-high six in SIUE's 89-79 win over Northern Illinois on Dec. 3.
After stepping up into a new role, sophomore Macy Silvey commanded the Cougars on the glass with 151 rebounds, averaging 4.9 per game. She collected five or more rebounds in 18 contests while leading SIUE in minutes played at 955. Following just two seasons with the Cougars, her 98 three-pointers made stacks up 12th in program history.
Against conference opponents, Molly Sheehan ranked second on SIUE averaging 10.7 points per game. She also proved to be strong from long range with a 42.3 three-point percentage. Her 90 assists led the Cougars.
In her first season with the Cougars, Halle Smith averaged 9.9 rebounds and 4.9 rebounds against OVC foes. Against Western Illinois on Dec. 31, she led SIUE with a double-double where she set career high marks in points (21) and rebounds (13). She also led SIUE with 37 blocks, good for third in the OVC.
Playing her final game with the Cougars on Saturday, Olivia Clayton concludes her SIUE career with 304 points, 207 rebounds, 73 assists, 43 blocks, and 39 steals in two seasons. On Dec. 20, the 6-2 forward recorded a career-best six blocks vs. Harris-Stowe, tied for second in a single game in SIUE program history.
"This was a small experience in my life, but the coaching staff made a lasting impression on me," said Clayton. "I got to bring KK with me, and this experience brought us together. I have a lifelong friend who I call a teammate. Coach Sam played a big part in giving both of us a second chance. We feel cared for, loved, and were given an opportunity to make our childhood dream come true."
Stay connected with the Cougars by following @SIUEWBB on X, @SIUEWBB on Instagram, and SIUE Women's Basketball on Facebook.
