RICHMOND, Ky. -- Dominique Sims (17) and Ta'Kenya Nixon (16) teamed up to score 33 points and Eastern Illinois women's basketball overcame an early 15-2 deficit on the way to defeating Eastern Kentucky, 60-50, in a key early-season Ohio Valley Conference game Thursday evening.

The Panthers (9-8, 5-1 OVC) have won four straight and five consecutive games against EKU (8-8, 5-2 OVC). Saturday's EIU-Morehead State game in Morehead, Ky., will be for first place in the OVC standings.

Nixon finished with a 16-point, 17-rebound double-double, her second such effort of the season. The 17 boards matched the most by a Panther during head coach Brady Sallee's six-year tenure. The freshman point guard played 38 of the 40 minutes and scored 12 of her points in the second half.

Sims had eight rebounds to go along with her 17 points and was 6-of-11 from the field.

Chantelle Pressley chipped in nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field.

Nixon scored the game's first points on a putback basket. But the Lady Colonels reeled off 15 unanswered points. The Panthers didn't score again until Sims connected on a layup at the 11:17 mark. However, that basket ignited a 10-0 EIU run and the Panthers were back in the game.

Eastern Illinois took the lead for good at the 11:45 mark of the second half on a 3-pointer by Nixon. The game remained close for the next four minutes until the Panthers pulled ahead with a 9-2 spurt. Sims connected on a pair of field goals and Ashley Thomas drained a 3-pointer during that stretch.

Thomas was limited to eight first-half minutes after suffering a bloody nose. She was able to play 15 minutes in the second half.

Maggie Kloak was hampered by foul trouble for much of the game and finished with only two points in 16 minutes. She scored the first basket of the second half, tying the game at 23-23. Mariah King (6) and Marie Baker (3) teamed up to score nine points while splitting time at the 5-position in place of Kloak.

Eastern Kentucky's Nadia Moosong answered Thomas' late 3-pointer with a triple of her own at the 4:22 mark of the second half. But the Lady Colonels didn't score again from the field until the final minute.

The Panthers sealed the win with a 7-of-10 showing at the free throw line in the final two minutes. Nixon, Pressley, Sims and Thomas all made free throws during that stretch.

Saturday's EIU-Morehead game is slated for a 1 p.m. (CST) tipoff. EIU and EKU will rematch Saturday, Feb. 13 in Charleston.

More Info: Contact Ben Turner, Asst. SID