EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball gave OVC-leading SIU Edwardsville a run for their money getting as close as four points in the fourth quarter, but can't quite pull off the upset falling to the Cougars 87-75. Halle Stull came off the bench and set career high's earning her second career double-double and leading the team with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

With the loss EIU falls to 1-21 and 0-10 in the OVC while SIUE improves to 14-9 and 9-1 in the OVC.

The Panthers made 11 three-pointers throughout the game shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc marking the third time this season EIU has made 10 or more three-pointers.

SIUE had five players in double-digits at the end of the game led by preseason Player of the Year selection Shronda Butts with 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

EIU opened the scoring with a layup from Jalisha Smith, but SIUE went on to score the next 16 points to lead 16-2 with 5:56 to go in the first quarter following a layup from Gwen Adams. Stull finally stopped the Cougar run with a three-point bucket at the 5:28 mark. Adams finished the game with 14 points. 

The Panthers calmed down following Stull's three-pointer going on a 13-5 run to pull EIU within six following a three-pointer from Carmen Tellez with 28 seconds left to make it 21-15. SIUE's Coco Moore sank two free-throws to close the quarter out and make the score 23-15 headed into the second quarter.

EIU once again opened the scoring to start the quarter thanks to another three-point bucket from Tellez to make it 18-23. The Cougars would respond with nine straight points eventually halted by a layup from Smith at the 7:16 mark with SIUE leading 32-20. Smith finished the game with a career high 14 points. 

The two teams traded buckets the rest of the period as the Cougars headed into halftime leading EIU 45-32.

The Panthers shot 40 percent in the first half keeping SIUE within striking distance thanks in large part to their bench production outscoring the Cougars 17-7. 

The third period continued right where the second quarter left off as EIU and SIUE went back-and-forth throughout the quarter. SIUE managed to keep the Panthers at arm's length as EIU hovered around a 10 point deficit most of the quarter. 

The Panthers got as close as six points following a layup from Erica Brown at the 2:47 mark to make the score 55-49. The Cougars scored the next five points but a big three-point bucket from Tellez as time expired sent EIU into the fourth quarter only down eight as SIUE led 62-54. Tellez finished the game with a career best 10 points.

EIU turned up the pressure early in the fourth period as Stull drained a three-pointer to pull the Panthers within four, the closest they would get all night, with SIUE up 68-64 at the 7:52 mark. The Cougars answered EIU with an 11-4 run to extend their lead back to 11 points as Moore sank a jumper to make it 79-68 with 3:36 left in the game. Moore finished the game with 12 points.

The Panthers did their best to cut back into SIUE's lead but could not build a run as both teams traded points to end the game with SIUE on top 87-75. EIU shot 55.2 percent in the second half to make the game close.

Brown and Grace Lennox each contributed nine points. 

EIU finished the game outscoring SIUE 32-17 in bench points. 

The Panthers return to Lantz Arena next Saturday [Feb. 6] at 1:30 pm as they take on Southeast Missouri.