[Box Score]  Photo Gallery (by Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. - Both Phylicia Johnson and Halle Stull earned new career highs to lead the Panther offense, but Morehead State earned the 85-77 victory capitalizing on a big third quarter effort from the Eagles. EIU shot 51.9 percent from the three-point line making 14 three-pointers, the most the Panthers have recorded all season.

With the loss EIU drops to 1-17 and 0-6 in the OVC while Morehead State improves to 7-12 on the season and 1-4 in the conference.

It was a very quick start for both teams as Morehead State and EIU looked for their first conference win with both teams trading buckets to open the game. A three-point bucket from Johnson broke the tie and put EIU up 11-8 at the 7:30 mark.

The Eagles regained the lead only one more time in the first quarter following a layup from Shay Steele at the 6:12 mark. Johnson once again answered right back with another three-pointer to give the Panthers back the lead up 15-13 with 5:45 left in the period. Johnson finished the game with 19 points and five rebounds.

The Panthers would not relinquish the lead the rest of the quarter ending the first period up 26-23. 

EIU's 26 points were the most scored in the first quarter for the Panthers all season. The Panthers shot 83.3 percent from beyond the three-point line as Johnson finished the first quarter with 11 points to her name already and a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range. Stull contributed another eight points in the first quarter finishing the game with a career high 18 points.

The Panthers maintained their lead throughout the second quarter pushing it to as high as seven points following a layup from Grace Lennox at the 5:32 mark to give EIU a 38-31 lead. Lennox finished the game with nine points and 10 assists matching her career high set against Milwaukee. Morehead State closed out the first half on a 7-3 run as EIU held on to a 41-38 lead at halftime.

The third period was a different story as the Eagles opened the second half on a 10-1 run to take a 48-42 lead at the 6:43 mark. EIU answered back with seven straight points capped off by a three-pointer from Kayla Steward to regain the lead 49-48 with 5:16 left in the quarter.

Morehead State closed out the third quarter on a 9-3 run to take a 60-54 lead into the final period. The Eagles shot 43.8 percent in the third quarter outscoring EIU 22-13.

EIU did their best to cut into Morehead State's lead throughout the fourth period getting as close as six points thanks to another three-point bucket from Steward with 8:09 left in the game, but EIU could not get any closer as the Eagles had an answer for every Panther bucket. 

Morehead State led by as much as 13 points following a jumper from Brianna McQueen to make the score 72-59 with 5:51 left before going on to finish the game with an 85-77 victory.

McQueen was one of five Eagles to score in double-figures finishing the game with 16 points. Steele led the way for Morehead State with 19 points while Aaliyah Wells recorded a double-double with 13 points and eleven rebounds.

Erica Brown contributed 14 points and eight rebounds for the Panthers while Steward also netted nine points. 

Morehead State won the rebounding battle against EIU 52-39 utilizing their aggressiveness underneath the rim to outscore the Panthers 40-18 in the paint.

The Panthers finish out their home stand against UT Martin Wednesday [Jan. 20] at 6 pm.