Box Score
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Eastern Illinois women's basketball team fell behind in the first quarter eventually falling to Cincinnati 78-64 Wednesday afternoon. With the loss EIU drops to 4-8 on the season while the Bearcats improve to 8-4.
Three Panthers finished the game in double-figures led by
Grace Lennox who scored 16 points while recording a season high eight assists.
EIU fell victim to turnovers against the Bearcats finishing the game with 24 turnovers as Cincinnati scored 35 points off the Panther errors.
The Bearcats' Bianca Quisenberry opened the game draining a three-pointer as Cincinnati went on a 7-2 run to start the first quarter. Cincinnati pushed their lead to 11 points following another three-pointer to close out the first quarter leading EIU 20-9.
The Panthers finished the first period shooting 57 percent from the floor, but committed 10 turnovers in the quarter resulting in 12 points for Cincinnati.
The second period started much the same way as Cincinnati opened the quarter on a 9-2 run. The Bearcat run was eventually halted by a three-pointer from
Halle Stull to make it 29-13 at the 6:38 mark. Stull finished the game with 12 points and five rebounds.
EIU cut into Cincinnati's lead closing out the half on 6-0 run capped off with a layup from Lennox as the buzzer sounded. The Panthers managed to hold the Bearcats scoreless for the last 2:15 of the half to head into halftime trailing UC 36-25.
The Panthers finished the first half shooting 55 percent from the floor, while Cincinnati went 5-for-9 from the three-point line.
Cincinnati added to their lead opening the second half on a 7-0 run to bring the score to 43-28 with 5:59 left in the third quarter. The Bearcats kept EIU at bay throughout the period pushing their lead to as high as 19 points following a layup from Antoinette Miller with 36 seconds left in the quarter to make it 57-38.
The Panthers nearly cut Cincinnati's lead to single-digits following a 6-0 run midway through the fourth quarter as a free throw from
Erica Brown made it 66-55 with 4:46 left to go in the game. Brown led the team with six rebounds while adding nine points.
That would be as close as EIU would get though as the Bearcats managed to answer the Panther run pushing their lead back to 16 points eventually earning the final score of 78-64.
Allison Van Dyke scored nine points in the fourth quarter to finish the game with 15
Cincinnati had five players score in double-digits led by Quisenberry with 20 points followed by Shanice Johnson with 16.
The Panthers now look ahead to OVC play as they open the conference season at home next Thursday (Dec. 29) against Belmont at 6 p.m.
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