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3-2 Leathernecks Continue Road League Play

February 23, 2008 on 8:15 pm | In Athletics |

MACOMB, Ill. - Winners of five of the last six games, Western Illinois return to the road for Summit League contests at Centenary and Oral Roberts this week. The Leathernecks take their first three-game winning streak since 2004-05 to Shreveport Thursday, where it has a 1-2 record against the Gents. Western is 5-3 against Centenary in league games, but just one of those wins (2006) came in the Gold Dome.
The Leathernecks have also won just once at Oral Roberts, during the 2001 campaign, but have taken two of the last three against the Golden Eagles in Macomb.

Winners of Three Straight, Five of the Last Six
The Leathernecks are riding their first three-game winning streak since winning the last four games of the 2004-05 season. They have won five of their last six overall, last falling at Southern Utah, Jan. 3.

Jackson Nearing School’s Division I Scoring Record
Senior David Jackson needs 101 points to surpass Garrick Vicks (1993-96) as Western Illinois’ Division I scoring leader and put him in 10th place on the school’s all-time scoring list.
His 215 points this year give him a career total of 1,248, which ranks 11th in school history.
10. 1,348 Garrick Vicks 1993-96
11. 1,248 David Jackson 2004-pr.

Washington’s Free Throw Streak Reaches 17
James Washington has hit his last 17 free throws, a streak that has spanned three games. Against South Dakota State, Washington hit all 11 attempts.

Holding Opponents Under 70
The Leathernecks are 8-2 when allowing less than 70 points this season, and are 0-6 when allowing 70 or more points.

Best Conference Start in 10 Years
Western’s 3-2 Summit League start is its best conference start since a 6-0 opening to the 1997-98 league schedule.

Turnovers Down
In its last two games, Western Illinois has tallied just 15 turnovers, including just five against North Dakota State.

Jackson Averages Nearly 20 Points During Win Streak
David Jackson has averaged 19.7 points per game during the Leathernecks’ three-game winning streak, and averaged 21.5 points over the last two outings. He has scored in double digits in four of the last six games.

Rebounding Edge Equals Victory
The Leathernecks have outrebounded seven opponents this year, and all seven games have resulted in Leatherneck victories. They have recorded four double-digit rebounding advantages, most recently outrebounding UMKC by 11.
Last Saturday against North Dakota State was the first game this year in which Western was outrebounded (31-28) but still won.

Washington’s Points Increase in League Play
After averaging 7.1 points and starting nine of the season’s first 11 games, James Washington scored a career-high 17 points against Culver-Stockton. In the four league games since, he has averaged 10.8 points and come off the bench in each game.

Jackson is Go-To Guy at the Wire
In the last three minutes of games this year, David Jackson has shot 6-of-11 (.545) from the floor and converted all 11 free throw attempts. Only James Washington has hit more free throws (16-of-17).

Gonzalez Moves Into Starting Role
Chris Gonzalez has moved into a starting role for the last three games, resulting in a three-game winning streak for the Leathernecks. He has averaged 8.3 points and 21 minutes per game in his first three starts of the season. He has hit a team-high seven three-pointers during the span, shooting 47 percent from outside the arc.

Thomas’ Father Goes 1-2 as Interim Falcons Coach
Coach Thomas’ father, Emmitt, was named interim head coach of the Atlanta Falcons Dec. 12 and coached the team to a 1-2 record over the seasons’ last three games. Emmitt played 13 seasons in the NFL as a defensive back with Kansas City (1966-78), and is a finalist for induction into the Hall of Fame Class of 2008. He replaced Bobby Petrino who left for Arkansas - Western Illinois’ first opponent in 2008.
Originaly from Source