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Photo Gallery (by
Sandy King)
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois used a 14-2 advantage in fast break points in the first half as the Panthers rolled to a 77-66 win over Omaha on Friday night in Lantz Arena.
The Panthers improved to 3-4 on the season winning their second straight home game. EIU travels to Milwaukee on Wednesday for a 12 p.m. matinee. Omaha fell to 3-4 on the year.
Omaha scored the first four points of the game as Brianna Bogard hit a pair of free throws and Mikaela Shaw had a basket. Shaw would keep the Mavericks in front for the first eight minutes scoring 16 of her 20 points in the first half.
Morgan Martin's three point play cut Omaha's lead to one point and
Phylicia Johnson's 3-pointer at the 11:18 mark gave EIU its first lead of the game at 15-13. Johnson added another 3-pointer and jumper as she finished with 13 first half points and sparked EIU to a 22-15 lead with 9:11 to play.
Briana Bogard's jumper with 7:17 to play in the first cut EIU's lead back to a field goal at 24-22.
Sabina Oroszova responded with a basket as EIU raced to a 36-24 lead with
Shakita Cox finishing off a three point play with 2:12 to play. Lenese Bough and Madi Robson scored to close out the half for Omaha as EIU led 36-28.
EIU opened the second half with an 8-0 run with three baskets by
Arnisha Thomas as the Panthers led 44-28 with 16:51 to play.
Felecia Anderson rallied Omaha with 18 points off the bench in the second half including 4-of-9 from 3-point range. Anderson scored seven straight points for the Mavericks to cut the lead to 52-41 with 12:06 to play. Cox responded with a 3-pointer for EIU as she finished with 14 points.
Omaha cut the deficit to single digits three times in the final eight minutes, the final time coming on free throws by Robson with 5:46 to play as EIU led 63-54. Robson had 11 points as Omaha was 18-of-19 from the free throw line for the day.
Each time EIU had an answer as Oroszova posted her 22nd career double-double leading EIU with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Oroszova added five blocks as she moved into second on the EIU career blocks list with 141.
EIU finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field and 78 percent from the free throw line. The Panthers were 13-of-17 in the second half at the charity stripe including 8-of-10 to close out the game.