CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Eastern Illinois women's basketball led by as many as 14 points early in the second half, but was unable to sustain the advantage and saw Illinois rally back and defeat the Panthers, 49-45, Sunday afternoon at the Assembly Hall.

Eastern (1-1) held the lead for 26 minutes of game action total, holding Illinois to 31 percent shooting from the field. But the Illini (2-0) outscored EIU, 33-17, in the second half.

 

Megan Edwards and Lindsey Kluempers both scored seven points to lead the way for Eastern. Eight of the nine Panthers that saw action scored. Dominique Sims, Ashley Thomas, Edwards and Kluempers each connected on a 3-pointer.

Eastern committed 19 turnovers, 13 coming in the second half. Illinois turned the 19 turnovers into 17 points.

The Panthers led 28-16 at the half and scored the first basket of the second half on an uncontested layup. But Illinois responded with a 24-5 run, grabbing the momentum and getting its crowd into the game.

 

Jenna Smith (16 points) and Lacey Simpson (14 points, 11 rebounds) accounted for 30 of their team's 49 points, combining for 24 in the second half.

 

Eastern cut the Illini lead to one when Maggie Kloak scored on a drop step with 2:16 remaining. But Simpson connected on a jumper on the other end of the floor to stretch the lead to 46-43. It remained a one-possession game until Smith hit two free throws with 25 seconds left. The Panthers were forced to foul after coming up empty on its first possession of the final minute.

 

Illinois scored the first seven points of the game before EIU responded with 10 unanswered. Four different EIU players scored during the surge.

 

The Panthers closed the first half with a 10-2 run. Rachel Galligan scored four straight points to open the spurt and Kluempers also connected on a pair of field goals.

 

Chantelle Pressley made the most of her four minutes in her collegiate debut. She got the ball on the first EIU possession after she entered the game and drew a foul, making one-of-two at the free throw line. She connected on a jumper from the top of the key on the next trip down the floor.