MACOMB, ILL. -- Eastern Illinois women's basketball was defeated 74-66 by the Southern Illinois Salukis in their first game of the Compass Tournament in Macomb, Ill. With the loss, the Panthers fall to 4-4 on the season.
The Panthers started quick, as
Lariah Washington scored seven in the first quarter and the Panthers led by as many as five in the period. The Panthers continued to keep SIU at arms' length for much of the second quarter, taking a six-point lead with just under two minutes to play in the half. But the Salukis finished the half on an 8-2 run to tie the game 40-40 at halftime.
Abby Wahl had a hot start coming out of the locker room, scoring the first seven points for the Panthers in the second half. The game took on a seesaw nature before SIU used a 6-0 run in the middle of the period to break a 52-52 tie and take a lead that they would ultimately never relinquish.
Washington led EIU with 18 points and 4 rebounds for her seventh double-digit effort in eight games this season. Wahl scored 17 on 7-of-13 shooting.Â
Julia Bengtson, making her first career start in place of the injured
Morgan Litwiller, scored 10 points for her fourth double-digit output in the last five games.Â
Kira Arthofer stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
The Panthers will now await the loser of tonight's game between Northern Illinois and Western Illinois. They will play their next opponent Saturday, December 4 at either 4 or 6 pm.