CHARLESTON, Ill. – Niki Avery knocked down a leaning three-pointer as time ran out in regulation to send the game to overtime, but Eastern Kentucky couldn’t hold on for the win, falling 86-81 to Eastern Illinois Saturday in Charleston, Ill. It was the second time this season the two teams played overtime, the Panthers (8-9, 7-2 OVC) won both contests. Crystal Jones led the Lady Colonels (8-6, 3-4 OVC) with 22 points.
The game remained close for much of the second half. Neither team led by more than three points until Rachel Galligan converted a pair of free throw attempts with 3:22 left in the game to put the Panthers in front by five, 68-63.
A pair of free throws by Megan Edwards gave EIU a six point lead with 36 seconds left in regulation, leaving the Lady Colonels in the position of having to hit three-pointers and foul the Panthers, hoping for a miss at the free throw line.
Ashley Cazee knocked down a three-pointer at the other end to cut the lead in half, but after the immediate foul, Eastern Illinois converted both free throws to move back in front by five. Out of an EIU time out, Cazee connected on another three-pointer to draw within two with 16 seconds remaining.
EKU fouled immediately again, sending the Panthers to the charity stripe. At that point Eastern Illinois had made 18 of 18 free throws in the second half and 32-of-34 for the game. The Lady Colonels got what they needed. EIU missed the first shot and made the second leaving Eastern Kentucky three points from a tie.
Avery brought the ball up the court and moved it around the perimeter. The senior guard got the ball back on the right wing with time running out and two defenders on her. Avery split the defenders and nailed the leaning jumper as the horn sounded to send the game to overtime.
Eastern Illinois scored the first five points of overtime and kept the Lady Colonels from scoring for the first 3:17 of the extra period. A free throw by Nadia Mossong and a lay-up by Jones made it a two-point game with 1:02 left. EKU missed on its next two shot attempts and the Panthers were good on all four free throw attempts in the final minute. Avery’s three-pointer with one second left set the final score
Galligan led all players with 31 points for Eastern Illinois. Nearly half of per points came from the free throw line.
Jones made 8 of 14 shots from the field, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Shavonne Jones added 14 points and seven rebounds. Cazee finished with 13. Avery and LaTanya Stokes chipped in with 11 and 10 points respectively.
Dominique Sims contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the winners. Ashley Thomas scored 11 points and grabbed seven boards off the bench.
Eastern Kentucky went to the line 17 times and connected on 12. Eastern Illinois made 40 of 48 attempts from the charity stripe. Both teams committed 24 turnovers. EKU had not turned the ball over more than 16 times in its last six games.
As the first half progressed, it would have been hard to tell that today’s Lady Colonels were the same group that shot 29.7 percent two nights earlier at Morehead State. Eastern shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29) in the first half against the Panthers and made five of eight three-pointers for 62.5 percent.
Three three-pointers keyed an 11-0 EKU run midway through the first half. Cazee, Avery and Crystal Jones each knocked down a trey and LaTonyah Bentley added a jumper. Jones’ three gave the Lady Colonels a 21-12 lead with 11:23 remaining in the first half.
After Mossong’s lay-up with 6:43 to go before intermission, Eastern Kentucky went the next 5:25 without scoring. Eastern Illinois used the free throw line to climb back into the game. Eleven of the Panthers final 15 points of the first half came from the charity stripe.
A pair of free throws by Lauren Sturtevant completed the EIU comeback from 11 down and gave the home team a 31-30 lead with 2:10 showing on the clock. Two free throws by Thomas made it a three-point advantage for the Panthers with 1:03 to play before halftime.
Eastern Kentucky scored six unanswered points in the final 39 seconds to turn a three-point deficit into a three-point lead. Following a turnover by EIU, Cherie White hit Cazee with a pass up-court and the senior knocked down a running eight-footer as the horn sounded to send the Lady Colonels to the locker room in front 38-35.
The Panthers shot 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from the field in the first half and made 14-of-16 attempts from the free throw line.
The Lady Colonels will return home to face Jacksonville State on Thursday. Tip-off at McBrayer Arena in Richmond, Ky., is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
