Box Score
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – In a back-and-forth scoring duel between
Macy McGlone and Sofie Lewis, it was a -3-pointer by
Ellie Buzzelle with 27.3 seconds remaining that lifted Eastern Illinois to a 80-74 win over SIUE in the OVC opener for both teams.
Buzzelle hit a 3-pointer that put EIU up 75-74 with 27.3 seconds left to play. She came up with a steal on the next possession, hitting one of two at the foul line for a 76-74 Panthers lead.
Buzzelle knocked down four more free throws in the final 12 seconds to ice the game as EIU improved to 4-10 overall, 1-0 in the OVC.  SIUE is now 3-11, 0-1 in the OVC. Buzzelle had 17 points, one of three Panthers in double figures.
Following a bucket by
Macy McGlone that put EIU up 13-11, SIUE went on a 10-0 run capped by 3-pointers by Molly Sheehan and Sofie Lowis to lead 21-13 with 1:13 left to play in the quarter.
The Cougars led 41-34 at the half behind a 50-percent shooting half from 3-point range with Lowis (13 points) and Sheehan (10 points) both in double figures for the Cougars.
McGlone had eight points, five rebounds and four blocks in the opening half. She would add to those totals in the second half reaching her ninth double-double of the season with 30 points and 10 rebounds.  McGlone finished with five blocks as she has 14 over the last three games.
EIU opened the third quarter quickly cutting into the SIUE halftime edge with the margin down to three with 7:52 left in the quarter following Charita "Tiny" Lewis third 3-pointer of the day. Lewis scored 11 points for EIU. EIU cut the lead down to three points two other times in the quarter before a late spurt by the Cougars behind the shooting of Macy Silvey gave SIUE a 60-53 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Lowis led SIUE with 26 points. Sheehan had 14 and Silvey 11. The Cougars ended the game 6-of-18 from 3-point range