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Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. – League-leader Tennessee Tech edged out Eastern Illinois, 60-56, to hand the Panthers their fourth-consecutive loss on Thursday night at Lantz Arena.

The Panthers (9-11, 5-5 OVC) and Golden Eagles (15-4, 9-1 OVC) went back and forth throughout the contest as the teams exchanged leads a total of eight times in addition to being tied eight times.

Trailing by six (58-52) with 4:14 left in the game, EIU scored four straight points on a Kelsey Wyss three pointer and a Mariah King free throw to get the Panthers within two (58-56) with just under three minutes on the clock. Tennessee Tech went 2-for-3 from the foul line down the stretch and held the Panthers scoreless in the final two and a half minutes to hold on for the victory.

EIU jumped out to an early 8-2 lead in the first half only to see the Golden Eagles use a 19-5 run to take their largest lead of the game, 21-13, at the 9:37 mark. The Panthers battled back and regained the lead on a Wyss jumper to take a 26-25 advantage with 2:03 on the clock. After a Brittany Darling layup on the following possession gave the Golden Eagles a one-point lead (27-26), Mariah King made a basket with 1:04 left in the half to give EIU a 28-27 advantage heading into the locker room.

Ta'Kenya Nixon paced the Panthers with 15 points while Wyss added 11 points. Sydney Mitchell scored eight points and three other players in Hillary Held, King and Chantelle Pressley scored six.

Mitchell grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, the third time the sophomore has recorded 10 or more rebounds in a game this season. Pressley pulled down seven rebounds and blocked a game-high three shots. Nixon also contributed nine rebounds.

EIU out rebounded the Golden Eagles by four in the contest (42-38) and forced 15 Tennessee Tech turnovers.

Tennessee Tech's Molly Heady led all scorers with 17 points.

The Panthers return to action on Saturday, Jan. 29 against Jacksonville State at 4 p.m.