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Brown_JSU_16-17
85
Eastern Illinois EIU 5-11, 1-3 OVC
88
Winner Eastern Kentucky EKU 6-10, 3-0 OVC
Eastern Illinois EIU
5-11, 1-3 OVC
85
Final
88
Eastern Kentucky EKU
6-10, 3-0 OVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 F
Eastern Illinois EIU 15 21 15 18 16 85
Eastern Kentucky EKU 18 18 18 15 19 88

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

EIU Women Fall In OT At Eastern Kentucky 88-85

the Eastern Illinois women's basketball team dropped a hard fought match in overtime 88-85 at EKU Saturday afternoon.



Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Illinois women's basketball team fell in a hard fought battle to Eastern Kentucky 88-85 in overtime Saturday afternoon. Following the loss EIU drops to 5-11 overall and 1-3 in the OVC while EKU improves to 6-10 and 3-0 in the conference.

Grace Lennox finished the game leading all scorers and setting a new career high with 35 points while adding eight assists, five rebounds, and five steals. Lennox's 35 points marks the first time an EIU player has scored 30 or more points since Sabina Oroszova set the school record with 38 points at Bradley in 2013.

Four Panthers finished the game in double-figures with Erica Brown recording her ninth career double-double earning 18 points and 12 rebounds. Brown also becomes the 15th member of EIU's 600 career rebound club following the game.

Both teams went back-and-forth throughout the game with 14 ties and 14 lead changes in the game as Jalen O'Bannon made a layup with 29 seconds left in regulation to tie the game 69-69 and send it into overtime.

EIU and Eastern Kentucky traded buckets to open the extra period as O'Bannon appeared to match the Panthers shot-for-shot scoring 14 of EKU's 19 points in overtime. EKU managed to gain a four-point lead sinking four straight free throws to make it 80-76 with 1:19 to go. 

The Panthers continued to push the tempo in the final minute of overtime, getting within one point thanks to a three-pointer from Lennox with four seconds left to make it 86-85. There would not be enough time to complete the comeback for the Panthers though as two final free throws from EKU solidified the 88-85 win.

EIU finished the game shooting 45.8 percent and out-rebounding the Colonels 44-32. 

It was a game of runs throughout regulation as both teams traded buckets to open Saturday's game with EIU pulling in front 11-6 following a jumper from Brown at the 3:33 mark. EKU answered with a 6-0 run to take the lead 12-11 with 1:47 left in the period. 

The Colonels managed to close out the first quarter leading 18-15 as EKU's Katie Pippen drilled a three-pointer in the final seconds of the period. 

EKU opened the second quarter building their lead to as high as seven points to lead 27-20 at the 7:08 mark after a tip-in from Jalen O'Bannon. EIU regained the lead late in the first half going on a 10-2 run capped off by a jumper from Zharia Lenoir to put the Panthers in front 36-34 with 1:47 left in the half.

Both teams would eventually head into halftime deadlocked 36-36 as EIU and EKU both finished the first half shooting at least 50 percent from the floor.

The second half started out much like the first as each team traded buckets. EIU eventually gained the lead going on an 8-1 run capped off by a three-pointer from Lennox to give EIU a 48-41 lead with 3:54 left to go in the third period. 

The Colonels answered right back closing out the third quarter on a 13-3 run to head into the fourth quarter leading 54-51.

The Panthers were not phased though as they opened the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to get back in front 57-54 at the 8:43 mark. The Colonels led by as much as six points in the fourth quarter, but EIU pulled even with O'Bannon's layup late in the quarter sending the game into overtime.

Three Colonels finished the game in double-digits led by O'Bannon with 34 points going 22-of-24 from the free throw line.

Both Jennifer Nehls and Allison Van Dyke recorded 11 points as Van Dyke nearly earned her second double-double of the season with nine rebounds against EKU.

The Panthers will close out their three-game road trip Wednesday (Jan. 11) at Murray State.
 
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