MOREHEAD, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky jumped out to an early 6-2 lead but the final 37 minutes of the game belonged to Morehead State as the Eagles handed the Lady Colonels a 77-50 defeat tonight at Johnson Arena. Morehead State (5-10, 3-4 OVC) scorched the nets to a tune of 50.9 percent and made 63.6 percent from three-point range. EKU (8-5, 3-3 OVC) shot just 29.7 percent for the game.
Crystal Jones led the Lady Colonels with 13 points. Niki Avery contributed 11 points. Chynna Bozeman finished with a game-high 18 points and nine rebounds for the Eagles. Tarah Combs added 14 points and five assists.
Half of Morehead State’s field goals came from behind the arc. MSU went 14-of-22 from deep and finished the night 28-of-55 from the field.
Eastern Kentucky scored the first four points of the game and led 6-2 with 17:20 remaining in the first half after Shavonne Jones connected on a jumper.
The Eagles went on a 21-2 run fueled by four three-pointers, including two from Combs. Brittany Pittman’s free throw capped off the run and had Morehead out in front 23-8 with 9:37 before halftime.
Brandi Rayburn’s three-pointer with 18 seconds before intermission sent MSU to the locker room with a 42-19 lead.
A free throw by Crystal Jones and a three-pointer from Avery gave Eastern the first four points of the second half and cut the deficit to 18 points with nearly 19 minutes remaining in the game. However, Morehead State’s first five field goals of the second stanza were three-pointers, dimming any hope of a Lady Colonel comeback.
Bozeman had four of the five treys and her fourth extended the lead to 26 points, 59-31, with 12:17 left in the game. A three-pointer by Anitha Smith-Williams with 7:25 to play gave the Eagles their largest lead of 37 points, 72-35.
Eastern Kentucky made just 19 of 64 shot attempts and went 4-for-22 from behind the arc. Morehead shot 60 percent (12-of-20) in the second half and made seven of nine three-pointers for 77.8 percent. The Eagles out-rebounded EKU 45-31.
The Lady Colonels will have a chance for revenge when they face Eastern Illinois on Saturday. EIU dealt Eastern Kentucky an overtime loss in Richmond in December. Round two will take place in Charleston, Ill., and will begin at 6 p.m. ET.
