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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball battled down to the wire with the OVC leading Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Saturday night. The Panthers finished shooting 49 percent from the field, while the Golden Eagles shot 60 percent. Despite a single-digit lead with a little over a minute left in the fourth quarter, TTU escaped with a 99-88 win over EIU.
EIU falls to 7-8 overall and 1-3 in the OVC. TTU improves to 12-3 overall and 4-0 in the OVC.
TTU was hot from the field in the first half shooting over 65 percent. They knocked down nine three pointers and shot over 69 percent from the arc led by Jordan Brock who was 5-of-8 from three point range before halftime.
The Panthers also found success from the field in the first half shooting over 48 percent.
Carmen Tellez led the Panthers with 12 points and all of EIU's three-point field goals.
Grace Lennox reached double-figures in the first half knocking down a buzzer beating jumper to end the half.
Tellez and Brock continued to battle from the arc in the third quarter. Tellez hit back-to-back threes to open the second half. Brock hit two in a row for TTU with a little over two minutes left to play in the third. Tellez responded to Brock's back-to back shots with another from the arc forcing the Golden Eagles to call time out leading EIU 70-60. Brock would finish the third quarter with one more three-pointer as EIU closed TTU's lead to seven points.
EIU got the game within five points twice in the fourth quarter. Tellez would knock down her final three-point field goal of the game with just under two minutes remaining, but TTU pulled away to win 99-88 and remain undefeated in conference play.
Tellez recorded a new career-high with 26 points finishing 7-of-10 from the arc. Her seven made three-pointers ties the EIU single-game record. She also matched her career-high five rebounds and recorded a season-best four assists. Lennox finished with 16 points and a season-high seven assists and four steals.
Karle Pace extended her double-figure scoring streak to 12 straight games with 14 points off the bench.
Jalisha Smith and
Abby Wahl each added 10 points for EIU.
Brock set a new career-high with 33 point on 8-of-15 from the arc. Anacia Wilkinson and Akia Harris fell short of a double-doubles. Wilkinson had 18 points and nine rebounds, while Harris had nine points and nine assists. Abby Buckner was the final player in double-figures with 11 points.
The Panthers will be back in action at home next week with a pair of games. EIU will play Murray State at 12 pm on Thursday Jan. 17.