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Box Score]
CHARLESTON, Ill. -
Halle Stull earned her first career double-dobule with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Eastern Illinois Thursday night, but Eastern Kentucky took advantage of EIU's cold shooting and pulled away late for a 75-56 win over the Panthers.
The Colonels took advantage of Panther turnovers scoring 20 points off of EIU's 20 turnovers.With the loss EIU falls to 1-16 overall and 0-5 in the OVC while EKU improves to 9-6 overall and 3-1 in the OVC.
It was a very tight contest between the two teams in the first quarter as the Panthers and the Colonels fought for the lead.
Erica Brown was fouled making a layup at the 6:18 mark in the first quarter. Brown made the bucket and free-throw to put EIU up 8-4, their largest lead of the game. EKU would answer with a 7-2 run as a three-pointer from the Colonel's Alexus Cooper gave EKU an 11-10 lead with 2:54 left in the period. Cooper finished the game leading all scorers with 22 points. The quarter would come to a close with both teams tied at 12 and each team shooting below 40 percent.
The Colonels raced out to start the second quarter going on a 10-1 run to open the period finally ended by a three-point bucket from
Carmen Tellez as EKU held a 22-16 advantage with 5:12 left to play in the first half. EKU extended their lead throughout the remainder of the second quarter to as high as 11 points following a jumper from Michaela Hunter at the 2:18 mark with the Colonels up 30-19. Stull scored the final five points in the half to cut the score to 30-24 going into halftime.
EIU only shot 29.6 percent in the first half but out-rebounded the Colonels 25-16.
The Panthers worked hard in the third quarter to cut into EKU's lead getting as close as four points following a layup from
Phylicia Johnson at the 4:12 mark to make the score 38-34. Johnson scored eight points in the third period finishing the game with 13 total. Eastern Kentucky answered right back scoring the next seven points to extend their lead to 45-36 with 2:08 left in the period. EIU ended the quarter on a 6-2 run to head into the final quarter trailing 47-40.
In the fourth quarter Eastern Kentucky took advantage of cold shooting from EIU going on a 20-2 run started by a layup from the Colonel's Cooper at the 6:52 mark and eventually stopped by a three-point bucket from
Kayla Steward with 2:13 left in the game. The Colonels led the Panthers 74-52 at that point. EIU closed the game out on a 7-1 run, but it was not enough to overtake EKU as the Panthers fell 75-56.
EKU shot 50 percent in the second half utilizing a 28-16 advantage in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Panthers. The Colonels pulled down 24 rebounds in the second half to finish the game out-rebounding EIU 40-39.
Hunter earned a double-double for the Colonels finishing the game with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. Brown nearly earned her eighth career double-double finishing the game with nine points and eight rebounds.
The Panthers host Morehead State this Saturday [Jan. 16] at 1 p.m.