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CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois scored 22 points off of 22 Austin Peay turnovers as the Panthers improved to 2-0 in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 79-58 win. EIU has now won 11 straight OVC home games as they improved to 4-4 overall. APSU dropped to 2-7, 1-1 in the OVC.
Following an early tie in the game EIU jumped out to a 25-11 lead powered by a 21-7 run over a ten minute period. The Panthers did most of their damage at the free throw line as they were 14-of-14 from the stripe in the opening half and 23-of-25 for the game. Mariah King was 8-of-8 at the stripe as she was one of four Panthers in double figures with 12 points.
Sydney Mitchell helped pace the Panthers offensive attack with nine first half points as EIU held a 36-28 lead despite shooting only 36 percent from the field. A major difference was turnovers as EIU had 12 first half points off of 15 APSU turnovers.
Mitchell continued to play solid in the second half as she led the Panthers with 16 points. Chantelle Pressley had 14 and Ta'Kenya Nixon 10. Pressley just missed her second double-double of the season with nine rebounds. EIU shot 52 percent in the second half to finish at 44 percent for the game.
Austin Peay shot 48 percent in the opening half but was cooled off to 34 percent in the second half. Meghan Bussabarger had 19 points to lead the Lady Govs. APSU closed the gap to seven points on a Darcie Warner jumper at the 16:34 mark but Pressley answered with a 3-pointer to put EIU up 45-37 and APSU never got closer than eight points the remainder of the game.
All 14 players appeared in the game for EIU as they will play at Indiana State on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. (Central).