CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball fell to SIU Edwardsville 56-66 in their final game of the season Saturday [Feb. 27] afternoon. With the loss EIU wraps up their season at 3-25 and 2-14 in the OVC while SIUE completes their regular season with a 17-12  overall record going 12-4 in the conference on their way to a postseason tournament berth.

Senior Alece Shumpert led the offense for the Panthers in her final game at EIU finishing with 13 points, one rebound, one assist, and one steal. Shakita Cox, the team's only other senior, wrapped up her EIU career scoring six points while also recording one rebound, one assist, and one steal.

The Cougars jumped out to an early six point lead before Shumpert opened the scoring for EIU draining her first three-pointer of the game. Shumpert finished the game with three buckets from beyond the arc. The Panthers managed to tie the game following a jumper from Erica Brown at the 5:05 mark to make it 9-9.  EIU closed out the first quarter leading 13-12 thanks to a jumper from Grace Lennox with five seconds left in the period. Lennox ended the game with five points, five rebounds, and four assists.

SIUE took control in the start of the second quarter, opening the period on a 12-2 run finally halted by a layup from Halle Stull with 4:34 left in the first half to make it 24-17. EIU ended the first half trailing SIUE 34-25. The Cougars shot 46.7 percent in the second period outscoring EIU 22-12.

Shumpert opened the second half sinking yet another three-point bucket to pull the Panthers within six points. Shumpert scored eight points in the third quarter as she was the only EIU player to score until there was only 31 seconds left in the period. SIU Edwardsville had trouble of their own shooting only 23.5 percent in the third period as the Panther defense kept the Cougars in check preventing them from running away with the score. EIU scored the last four points of the quarter as Brown sank a three-pointer to make the score 37-45 headed into the final period. Brown ended the game with 11 points and six rebounds.

The Panthers managed to pull the game to as close as five points in the final quarter as Phylicia Johnson made a three-pointer at the 8:33 mark to make the score 42-47, but that would be as close as EIU would get the rest of the period. Johnson scored nine of her 11 points in the fourth quarter alone. Both teams traded buckets throughout the fourth quarter as SIUE held the Panthers at bay to earn the 66-56 win.

Stull led the team in rebounds with eight while also contributing five points and two blocks. SIU Edwardsville had three players score in double-figures led by Donshel Beck with 23 points and 12 rebounds. EIU was out-rebounded by the Cougars 33-50.