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NASHVILLE - Katlyn Payne hit a 3-pointer with 1:24 remaining as Eastern Illinois closed the game on a 10-2 run as the Panthers won their second straight road game with a 54-48 win at Belmont on Saturday afternoon.

Payne led EIU with 16 points as they improved to 12-13 overall, 7-7 in the OVC.  Belmont fell to 12-15, 9-5 in the OVC.  EIU will host UT Martin on Thursday night for Senior Night at Lantz Arena, tip off is 7 p.m.

Jordyn Luffman had hit her fifth 3-pointer of the game with 1:49 to play giving Belmont a 46-44 lead.  Payne then answered for the Panthers with a 3-pointer followed by a lay-up after stealing the ball on the next possession.

Taryn Olson broke open for a coast-to-coast pass from Sabina Oroszova as her lay-up made it 52-48 with 13 seconds left.  Morgan Palombizio sank two free throws in the final three seconds.  Oroszova had a team-high seven assists to go with 13 rebounds and eight points.  Olson had eight points.

Luffman had 19 points to lead the Bruins.  Her first 3-pointer of the game came with 13 seconds to go in the first half which gave Belmont a 21-19 halftime lead.  

Belmont extended the lead to three points twice in the second half on baskets by Luffman and Frankie Joubran.  Joubran's basket at 13:14 put the Bruins up 30-27.  Joubran had a big day on the glass pulling down 16 rebounds.  Belmont won the battle on the boards by a 40-28 margin leading to 17 second chance points.

Erica Brown had a pair of baskets midway through the second half which brought the Panthers back.  Her second basket put EIU up five with 10:35 to go.  A Payne 3-pointer at 7:23 gave EIU its biggest lead at 40-33.

Luffman and Mills had 3-pointers to close the gap as the teams traded the lead in the final 2:50 before Payne's final 3-pointer.  EIU had a season low seven turnovers as they scored 19 points off of 13 Belmont turnovers.  

Jordyne Crunk added 12 points for EIU as the Panthers shot 56 percent in the second half.