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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Eastern Illinois had three players score in double figures as the Panthers (8-7, 4-1 OVC) pulled away for a 68-43 win over Southeast Missouri (5-10, 1-4 OVC) on Saturday afternoon at the Show Me Center.

SEMO opened with a 7-0 run only to see EIU answer with an 18-0 run of its own as the Panthers held the Redhawks scoreless for an eight minute forty second stretch of the first half. Ta'Kenya Nixon scored the first seven points in that run as she finished the day with 13 points and 12 rebounds. It was Nixon's third double-double of the season.

EIU led 27-19 at the half before pushing it to double digits at the 17:26 mark of the second as Kelsey Wyss drained a 3-pointer.

The Redhawks cut the lead to three (38-35) on a lay-up by Brittany Harriel at the 12:22 mark. Harriel led SEMO with 15 points while pulling down nine rebounds. EIU ended the game winning the battle on the boards by a 39-28 margin including 14 offensive boards.

The Panthers answered for the second time in the game as Jordyne Crunk's back-to-back 3-pointers ended a 17-4 run by EIU at the 5:41 mark with EIU leading 55-39. EIU was 5-of-17 from 3-point range, Crunk was 2-of-6.

A pair of Mariah King free throws pushed the lead to 20 points with just over four minutes remaining and freshman Brittany Cochran scored her first career EIU points in the final seconds to round out the scoring.

King led all players with 17 points while Sydney Mitchell chipped in with 13 points and five steals.

EIU returns to action on Thursday night hosting Eastern Kentucky at 5:30 p.m.