SAINT CHARLES, Mo. (Interstat) — The Western Illinois Leathernecks, defying pregame projections, used a dominant fourth-quarter surge to secure a 74-65 victory over the Lindenwood Lions in an Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena.

The game’s pivotal moment arrived in the final frame. Trailing 53-50 entering the fourth quarter, Western Illinois unleashed a 15-2 run over a decisive six-minute stretch to seize control. The Leathernecks’ defense locked down, forcing a series of Lindenwood turnovers and missed shots, while their offense found a rhythm that had been missing for much of the second and third quarters.

Mia Nicastro, a 6-foot-2 junior from St. Charles, Missouri, playing in her hometown, was instrumental in the comeback and finished with a game-high 23 points. Her consistent interior scoring and a key steal during the critical run helped Western Illinois turn the tide. Addi Brownfield, a 5-9 guard from Boonville, Missouri, added 14 points and orchestrated the offense with four assists, while Mallory Shetley contributed 16 points, three assists and a crucial block.

Lindenwood, which had been favored by a significant statistical margin to win, was led by Brooke Coffey’s 16 points and Ellie Brueggemann’s 13 points and six assists. Mya Skoff added 15 points for the Lions. The home team built its largest lead at seven points in the third quarter, capitalizing on a 9-0 run, but could not withstand Western Illinois’s final push.

The contest began as a tight, back-and-forth affair. Western Illinois held an 18-16 edge after the first quarter, but Lindenwood responded to take a narrow 34-33 lead into halftime. The Lions extended their advantage to 53-50 by the end of the third, setting the stage for the Leathernecks’ final-quarter rally. Western Illinois outscored Lindenwood 23-12 in the fourth, with their defense holding the Lions to just four field goals in the period.

With the win, Western Illinois improves to 9-1 overall and continues its strong start to the season. The Leathernecks have now won four consecutive games. Lindenwood falls to 7-4. An announced crowd of 714 watched the conference opener for both teams.

Western Illinois will look to continue its momentum when it hosts SIU Edwardsville on Monday. Lindenwood travels to face Eastern Illinois on Sunday.