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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball beat Austin Peay 67-57 at the Dunn Center Saturday afternoon snapping a 28 game road loss streak. The last time the Panthers won on the road was at APSU in the 2017 season. Four players scored double-figures for EIU in a shared effort to pick up their fourth conference win. The Panthers improve to 10-13 overall and 4-8 in the OVC, while the Govs fall to 11-12 overall and 6-6 in the conference.
APSU opened the game with four straight free throws to take a 4-0 lead over EIU early on. The Panthers went on a 6-0 run to take a two point lead out of the first quarter media time out. The Govs would tie the game 6-6 on a layup, but an 8-2 run to close the first ten minutes would give EIU a permanent lead over APSU.
The Panthers held the Govs to just 16 points in the first half, which is the second lowest point total in a half this season that EIU has held an opponent to. The Panthers led 28-16 heading into the break.
EIU saw the free throw line 16 times in the fourth quarter as APSU tried to chip away away at the Panthers lead. The Govs got within five of the Panthers, but the Panthers 11 of their 16 attempts in the final 10 minutes.
Jalisha Smith went 5-for-7 at the line and carried EIU with 11 of her 13 points scored in the second half. Smith's 13 points is a season-high, and she also finished with six rebounds.
The Panthers shot 45.3 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from the arc. In addition to Smith's 13 points,
Grace McRae tied her career-high with 16 points and she recorded a game-high eight rebounds.
Grace Lennox and
Abby Wahl each added 11 points for EIU. Lennox tallied four assists bringing her closer to that 500 assist career mark.
APSU shot 37.3 percent from the field and only 18.2 percent from the arc. Gabby Gregory led the Govs with 11 points off the bench knocking down 2-of-4 from three-point range. Arielle Gonzalez-Varner finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, while Keisha Gregory added 10 points, five rebounds, and six assists.
EIU will wrap up their three game road trip at SIUE Thursday Feb. 14. Tip-off is set for 7:30 pm.