Box Score
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - The Eastern Illinois women's basketball team utilized a huge third quarter performance to come back and defeat Evansville 73-63 Monday evening. With the win EIU starts the season 2-0 for the first time since the 2011-12 season while Evansville falls to 0-2.
Four Panthers scored in double-digits led by Grace Lennox with a massive 22-point performance, one point shy of her career high, while adding four assists and four steals.
The Panthers shot 67 percent in the second half to overcome a 32-26 deficit at halftime.
The Purple Aces jumped out to a 10-4 lead early in the game following an 8-0 run in the first quarter finally stopped by Erica Brown free throws at the 4:55 mark.
EIU pulled the game back going on their own 6-0 run to tie the game 10-10 following another Brown jumper with three minutes left in the quarter. Brown finished the game with eight points and five rebounds.
Both teams fought back-and-forth through the rest of the half as Evansville managed to maintain a six point lead to close out the half leading 32-26. UE's Sara Dickey scored seven of the Purple Aces final nine points of the half finishing the first half with 11 points.
Evansville was all over EIU defensively in the second period earning six steals in the quarter and scoring seven points off EIU turnovers.
UE out shot the Panthers 49 percent to 36 percent in the first half.
EIU came out guns blazing to open the second half as Jalisha Smith and Allison Van Dyke combined for four points to pull the Panthers close 32-30 at the 8:06 mark.
The Purple Aces managed to keep EIU at bay until Lennox stole an in-bounds pass from UE sinking a quick layup to tie the game 41-41 at the 3:17 mark. EIU would not relinquish the lead the rest of the game.
Van Dyke finally got on the stat sheet in the third quarter scoring eight points to lead EIU's third period effort. Van Dyke finished the game with 13 points matching her performance from EIU's opener against Millikin.
A jumper from Halle Stull right as the buzzer sounded gave EIU a 47-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Stull recorded 12 points and seven rebounds in the game.
The Panthers out shot Evansville 21-9 in the third quarter to regain the lead.
EIU held off a fourth quarter comeback from Evansville thanks in large part to Lennox who scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Smith finished the game with 10 points and seven rebounds along with Jennifer Nehls who added eight points to go with her new career high seven rebounds.
Evansville had four players in double-digits led by Dickey with 21 points.
The Panthers look to keep the momentum going as they head back to Charleston to host Wright State Thursday at 6 p.m.