Box Score
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Grace Lennox scored a career high 26 points as the Eastern Illinois women's basketball team went on to defeat Illinois-Springfield 74-60 Saturday afternoon. With the win the Panthers surpass last season's win total improving to 4-2 on the year.
Four panthers finished the game in double-figures as
Jalisha Smith recorded her second straight double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Smith wasn't the only Panther to record a double-double as freshman
Allison Van Dyke earned her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. This is also the sixth game in a row Van Dyke has scored in double-digits.
EIU was completely dominant in the first quarter of Saturday afternoon's game opening the period on an 11-1 run finally broken by a jumper from UIS' Jasmine Sangster at the 5:38 mark to make it 11-3. Sangster's bucket would turn out to be the only bucket for the Prairie Stars the entire first quarter as EIU closed out the first period leading 21-5.
Lennox finished the first quarter of play already in double-figures with 10 points finishing the game going 5-for-6 from three-point range.
The Prairie Stars came out shooting in the second quarter opening the period on a 7-1 run to bring the score to 22-12 with 7:50 left in the half. EIU was able to push their lead back to as high as 17 points in the second quarter following a jumper and a made free throw from Smith at the 4:04 mark to make it 35-18 in favor of the Panthers.
UIS managed to cut into the Panther lead to close out the first half making it 39-27 heading into the locker rooms.
Both teams traded buckets throughout the third period as EIU managed to keep a 15 point lead during the period. Illinois-Springfield finally got within 10 points closing out the third quarter on an 8-2 run to make it 53-44 heading into the fourth period.
The Prairie Stars threatened in the fourth quarter coming as close as seven points following free throws from UIS' Caroline Kelty to make it 59-50 with 5:22 left to go, but back-to-back buckets from
Erica Brown and Lennox pushed EIU's lead back into double figures. Brown finished the game with 12 points and six assists.
The Panthers maintained their double-digit lead throughout the rest of the game capped off by a Lennox three-pointer to earn the final score of 74-60.
The Prairie Stars had three players score in double-figures led by Kelty with 18. Sangster recorded 16 points while Patterson chipped in 11. UIS' Syerra Cunningham led all players with 18 rebounds. UIS out-rebounded EIU 45-38 in the game.
The Panthers had a big game in the paint out-scoring UIS 30-12 down low finishing the game shooting 44 percent from the field.
EIU has a quick turnaround as they host Indiana State Monday at 6 p.m.