Eastern defeated every OVC team to visit Lantz Arena this season and will most likely carry a 10-game home win streak into the 2010-11 campaign. Two years ago, EIU ended the 2007-08 season riding a seven-game home win streak and went on to win 20 consecutive games at Lantz.

Every Panther that saw significant action connected on a field goal. Ta'Kenya Nixon scored 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field. Dominique Sims and Sydney Mitchell both finished with nine. Chantelle Pressley chipped in eight points and seven rebounds, including five O-boards.

Tennessee State's top three seniors led the way in their final collegiate game. Oby Okafor and Nikki Rumph both scored 11 points, LaDona Pierce finished with 10.

 

Eastern committed only 10 turnovers after giving the ball away 23 times Saturday night against TSU in the regular-season finale. The Panthers also grabbed 20 offensive rebounds but were only able to turn the extended possessions into 15 second-chance points.

 

“That's the first step, getting those rebounds,” Kloak said. “Our team did a great job on the boards tonight. I think we'll definitely have to go up strong or take the ball out and use the shot clock.”

 

Led by Kloak, EIU enjoyed a 34-24 edge in points in the paint. The 10-point advantage was posted entirely in the first half as the Panthers jumped ahead early and took a 13-point lead to the locker room.

 

“Cleary we rode [Kloak],” EIU head coach Brady Sallee said. “Our kids did a great job of executing and getting it into her. She did a fairly good job of dominating the game from the block. And to stay out of foul trouble, be able to play the minutes, which she struggled with in the last couple games, I think that was huge.”

Eastern was ahead by double figures the entire second half but TSU cut the lead to 11 with at the 5:17 mark. However, the Lady Tigers did not score from the field for the rest of the game.

 

The Lady Tigers amped up the pressure with a full-court press near the midpoint of the second half. Eastern struggled against the press while Nixon was on the bench with three fouls for a stretch of 3 ½ minutes. Tennessee State made its final push at that juncture with a 14-4 run. But after Pierce connected on a layup at the 5:17 mark, Nixon immediately took the ball to the basket and got fouled. She made both free throws and then connected on a jumper on EIU's next possession.

 

“They sat in the paint, they face guarded me to keep from penetrating and getting the ball,” Nixon said of the TSU defensive game plan. “And they kept it out of my hands a lot, but luckily my team – they're strong, they're confident. They handled it very well. When I got into foul trouble, they looked a little jittery but they did a good job.”

 

Kelsey Wyss connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to punctuate a 10-2 spurt for the Panthers that gave EIU a 21-point lead at 10:29 mark of the second half.

 

Eastern surged ahead in the first half with a 12-1 run. The first 10 points came from freshmen, as Mariah King and Nixon both connected on a pair of field goals. The Lady Tigers did not score from the field for more than six minutes during that stretch.

Of the four teams to advance to Nashville for the OVC Tournament semifinals, the Panthers are the only team that has done so each of the last three seasons. Eastern is now 5-2 in the OVC Tournament play during that time. Austin Peay and Morehead State will meet in Friday's other semifinal at Bridgestone Arena (formerly the Sommet Center).