EIU Women Fall in OT to Murray State

CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois women's basketball closed out their three-game home stand with a tough overtime loss to Murray State 74-71. With the loss the Panthers drop to 3-22 on the season and 2-11 in the OVC while Murray State improves to 11-14 and 7-7 in the conference.

Grace Lennox led the way for EIU setting a new career high with 23 points going a perfect 5-for-5 from the three-point line and contributing seven rebounds as the Panthers out-rebounded Murray State 45-42. Erica Brown also recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

It was a low scoring affair in the first quarter as EIU jumped out to take the lead following a 10-2 run sparked by Jalisha Smith. Smith finished the game with eight points and a career high 11 rebounds.

The Racers finally broke EIU's run with a free-throw from LeAsia Wright at the 3:22 mark to make it 12-6. Murray State scored the periods final five points to end the first quarter trailing the Panthers 12-10.

The second quarter was another back-and-forth affair as both teams traded buckets. Both EIU and Murray State shot 50 percent in the second quarter as the Panthers maintained a slim 34-31 lead at the end of the first half.

Murray State took control in the third quarter opening a 10-0 run capped off with a three-pointer from Wright at the 3:37 mark as the Racers claimed a 45-39 lead over EIU. Wright finished the game with 17 points. Murray State out-scored EIU 20-10 in the third quarter to take a 51-44 lead into the final period.

The Racers opened the fourth quarter earning their largest lead of the game following a three-point bucket from Abria Gulledge at the 8:52 mark to make it 54-46. EIU worked to keep the game close throughout the final period matching Murray State shot-for-shot as both teams traded three-pointers.

There were seven three-point buckets made in the final period as both teams combined to sink 19 shots from beyond the arc for the whole game. EIU scored the last seven points of the period to tie the Racers 67-67. Brown sank back-to-back jumpers including the game tying bucket with only three seconds left to send the game into overtime.

EIU and Murray State went back-and-forth yet again to open overtime, but the free-throw line would turn out to be the deciding factor as Murray State sank the final three points of the game from the charity stripe to earn the 74-71 win.

Shakita Cox had a stellar game for EIU earning 15 points and a new career high eight rebounds. The Panthers outscored Murray State 32-16 in the paint.

The Racers had four players in double-figures led by Ke'Shunan James with 24.