NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball fell to Belmont 89-61 after a big first half performance from the Bruins built an early 54-23 lead. 

With the loss EIU falls to 1-15 on the season and 0-4 in the OVC, Belmont improves to 9-7 and 1-2 in conference play.

EIU had three different players earn double figures but could not come from behind as Belmont held the Panthers in check with six different Bruins scoring in double digits.

The Bruins raced out of the gates against EIU going on a 12-0 run to open the game. The Bruins Sally McCabe scored 10 of Belmont's first 15 points finishing the game with 14 points.

The Panthers did not score their first bucket until the 6:06 mark as Erica Brown made a layup and drew a foul to complete the three-point play the hard way. 

Belmont shot 75 percent in the first quarter going 5-of-8 from the three-point line finishing the first quarter leading EIU 30-13.

The second quarter was much of the same as the Bruins continued to catch fire from beyond the arc. Belmont pushed their lead to as high as 31 points late in the second quarter following a layup by Jenny Roy with 50 seconds left in the half. Roy finished the game with 10 points as EIU went into halftime trailing the Bruins 54-23.

The Bruins finished the first half with three players scoring in double figures due in large part to a 10-of-18 performance from three-point range. 

Brown was responsible for most of the Panthers' offense throughout the first half as she headed into the third quarter with 11 points to her name. Brown finished the game leading the Panthers with 17 points.

EIU settled down some in the third period going on an 8-3 run to cut the score to 59-31. Belmont's Kylee Smith broke the run with a three-pointer at the 5:25 mark. Smith finished the game leading all scorers with 20 points as Belmont pushed their lead to 62-31.

The Panthers scored the next six points before Belmont answered back finishing the quarter on an 11-2 run to make the score 73-39 headed into the fourth quarter.

Shakita Cox scored six of her 10 points in the third period scoring in double figures for the 11th time this season.

EIU won the fourth quarter battle outscoring Belmont 22-16 but the Bruins lead proved to be insurmountable as Belmont went on to earn the 89-61 victory.

Mariah Madison scored eight points in the second half finishing the game with 12 points, marking only the second time this season she has accomplished such a feat. Grace Lennox had another notable game dishing out eight assists and contributing five points to EIU.

The Panthers return home this coming Thursday [Jan. 14] to open up a three game home-stand against Eastern Kentucky.