CHARLESTON, Ill. – Maggie Kloak and Dominique Sims both scored 18 points to lead a balanced attack, as Eastern Illinois women's basketball won a program-record 14th consecutive home game with a 78-44 victory against Eastern Kentucky Thursday evening at Lantz Arena.

 

Rachel Galligan scored 16 points, as she and Kloak accounted for a large part of EIU's 46-16 advantage in points in the paint. The Panthers (11-6, 5-1 OVC) also turned 21 EKU turnovers into 30 points.

 

Galligan, Kloak and Sims each connected on seven field goals. Four of Sims' seven baskets were 3-pointers, a career-high total.

 

Kloak's season-high 18 points nearly accounted for half of EIU's 37 bench points. Freshman Chantelle Pressley also played well in a reserve roll and scored a season-high nine points.

 

The Panthers shot 49 percent from the field and made 10-of-11 at the free throw line.

 

“I think it was imperative for us to come out and play a 40-minute basketball game no matter what the score was going into the half,” EIU head coach Brady Sallee said. “Even though we were up 20-something points, it worried me because we couldn't come out and coast through that second half like we've done [at times this season]. We had to get that taken care of. We took a big step forward and maybe the most exciting thing was the energy coming off our bench tonight. Clearly the deeper we are the better off we're going to be.”

 

Kayla Drake led EKU (6-9, 3-4 OVC) with 12 points, but was the only Lady Colonel to score in double-figures. Eastern Kentucky remained winless in Charleston since 2003.

 

The Panthers used first-half runs of 11-0 and 15-0 to blow open the game and take a 43-20 lead to the locker room. Galligan and Kloak both scored four points and Sims connected on a 3-pointer during the 11-0 spurt that gave EIU its first double-figure lead.

 

Later Pressley and Kloak capped the 15-0 surge with consecutive three-point plays.

 

Drake and Kloak were whistled for a double-technical foul with 8:24 remaining in the first half. After making a pair of free throws, Drake went to the bench with two personal fouls for the remainder of the half. The Panthers outscored EKU 23-10 the rest of the way.

 

Eastern Kentucky cut the lead to 16 with an 11-3 run in the second half, but would get no closer.

 

Eastern Illinois closed the game on a 21-3 surge, as EKU connected on only one field goal in the final eight minutes of the contest. Meanwhile, seven different EIU players scored during the game-ending run.

 

With the win, the Panthers remained in a first-place tie with Murray State atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings. The two teams square off Thursday, Jan. 22 in Murray.

But first EIU hosts second-place Morehead State (5-2 OVC) Saturday at 3 p.m. The Eagles were winners at Southeast Missouri Thursday night.

More Info: Contact Ben Turner, Asst. SID