[Box Score]

CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball had four players earn double figures, but cold fourth quarter shooting and a pair of last second free throws allowed the Stetson Hatters to creep back into the game and win 68-66. Erica Brown earned her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

 
With the loss the Panthers drop to 1-9 on the season while Stetson improves to 6-3.

 
The Panthers came out shooting in their first ever game against Stetson as Halle Stull drained a three-pointer to begin the scoring. The Panthers went on a 10-0 run to begin the game, finally snapped by two free throws from Stetson's DeAsia Beal. The Hatters did not make a basket until the 5:32 mark in the first period as EIU led 12-6.

 
The Hatters worked their way back into the game thanks to a half court basket right as the buzzer sounded from SU's Aisha Turner cutting the Panther lead to two. Stull scored eight points in the first period finishing the game with 14 points and eight rebounds. EIU led 21-19 going into the second period.

 
Kayla Steward opened the second period sinking a three-pointer at the 9:40 mark. The freshman went 2-of-3 from behind the arc earning six of her 10 points in the second quarter.

 
EIU was able to build up their lead to as high as nine points following four straight free throws from Grace Lennox with 3:51 left in the first half. Lennox scored six points in the second period all from the charity stripe. Stetson answered right back going on a 10-2 run capped off by a Turner three-pointer to cut the Panther lead down to one point with 1:11 left in the half. Two quick Panther layups including EIU's own buzzer-beater by Brittin Boyer sent the Panthers into halftime leading 43-38.

 
The halftime score marked the first time all season the Panthers have gone into the locker room leading at the half. Their 43 first half points is also the most they have scored in the first half of a game all season.

 
The third period was much of the same as EIU attempted to stretch their lead earning as much as a seven point cushion thanks to five straight points to open the half by Lennox. Lennox scored seven points in the third quarter on her way to a final line of 15 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Stetson's Brianti Saunders put the team on her back in the third period to keep the match close scoring nine of the team's 16 third quarter points.

 
The Panthers went into the final period up 58-54 thanks to a jumper from Lennox with five seconds left. EIU shot 42.3 percent through the first three quarters.

 
The fourth quarter did not start out as well for EIU as Stetson opened the final period on an 8-2 run. Saunders hit a three-point shot to give the Hatters their first lead of the night as Stetson went up 62-60 with 6:54 left.

 
The rest of the period was decided by free throws as both teams went back and forth at the charity stripe until SU's Beal made a layup to give the hatters a 66-63 lead with 50 seconds left in the game.

 
Brown missed her jumper on EIU's next possession but managed to get her own rebound and reset the offense leading to a huge three-point shot from Shakita Cox to tie the game 66-66 with 28 seconds left.

 
Stetson looked for the last shot of the game as Breana Bey drove the lane drawing a foul from Brown, her fifth. Bey sank both of her free throws to give Stetson a two point lead and the eventual 68-66 victory.

 
EIU shot 18.1 percent in the fourth quarter only making two baskets.

 
Cox finished the game with eight points and two rebounds. Stetson had three players in double figures with Saunders scoring 23 points followed by Sarah Sagerer with 15 and Turner with 12.

 
The Panthers have the next week off for finals before traveling to Cincinnati Sunday [Dec. 20] at 1 p.m.