Box (PDF) | Box (HTML)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Four Eastern Illinois players scored in double figures as the Panthers won their ninth consecutive game, defeating Tennessee State, 69-54, on Saturday afternoon at the Gentry Center.

After being tied at 39 with 13:13 left in the game, the Panthers (18-11, 13-5 OVC) used a 15-5 run to take a 54-44 lead and never look back. EIU jumped out to its largest lead over the Lady Tigers (9-20, 5-12 OVC) with 3:11 left in the game, 62-47. The Panthers outscored the Lady Tigers 45-29 in the second half.

EIU trailed at the half for the first time in three games as TSU led 25-24 at intermission. The Panthers shot 33 percent from the floor in the first half (9-for-27).

Sophomore Mariah King led the Panthers with a game-high 18 points and five rebounds. Ta'Kenya Nixon scored 15 points and dished out five assists while Sydney Mitchell added 11 points. Hillary Held scored a career-high 13 points off the bench in only 11 minutes of action.

Defensively, Mitchell and Chantelle Pressley both had eight rebounds. Nixon added two blocks and a steal in the win.

EIU finished the game shooting 45.3 percent from the floor (26-for-64) and 64 percent from the charity stripe (9-for-14). The Panthers connected on 54 percent of their shots from the floor in the second half (20-for-27).

EIU was outrebounded for the first time in seven games as the Lady Tigers pulled down 44 rebounds to the Panthers 41 rebounds. The game saw 10 lead changes and seven ties.

Avery Jones led TSU with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Meredith Stafford chipped in 11 points.

EIU has a first-round bye and the No. 4 seed to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. on March 2-5. The Panthers will face the winner of the Austin Peay/Murray State game on Thursday, March 3 at noon.