RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky clinched a spot in next week’s Ohio Valley Conference tournament with a 62-55 win over Austin Peay Thursday at McBrayer Arena. The Lady Colonels (14-12, 9-10 OVC) held the Lady Govs (6-22, 3-16 OVC) scoreless for the final five and a half minutes and scored 10 unanswered points to turn a three-point deficit into a seven-point victory. Senior Crystal Jones scored a game-high 26 points for EKU.

Four players reached double figures for APSU led by Ashley Herring and Ashlee McGee with 15 points each. April Thomas recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

After taking a three-point lead on a jumper by Salem Richardson with 5:35 showing on the clock, Austin Peay missed its final four shot attempts and turned the ball over four times.

With 4:08 remaining in the game, Jones connected on a driving lay-up and drew a foul. Her bucket put Eastern Kentucky in front by one, the Lady Colonels’ first lead since the opening minute of the second half. The senior guard tacked on the free throw to make it 57-55 in favor of the home team.

Neither team scored for nearly two minutes. Shavonne Jones extended the lead to four with a lay-up at the 1:49 mark. EKU then made three of four from the charity stripe in the final minute to secure the victory.

Eastern shot nearly 50 percent in the second half but had to overcome a nine-point deficit with 11:06 left in the game.

Austin Peay opened the second half by scoring 10 unanswered points to turn a one-point halftime deficit into a 36-27 lead. Eastern Kentucky drew within four but the Lady Govs went back on top by nine with jumpers by Herring at 13:31 and then again with 11:06 to go.

After Herring’s second lay-in, Crystal Jones engineered a 7-0 run to keep the Lady Colonels in the game. Jones scored five of the seven points and brought EKU to within two, 47-45, with a pair of free throws at the 8:48 mark. Eastern Kentucky stayed within four and then took control when APSU hit its scoring drought in the final five and a half minutes.

Jones added five rebounds, four assists and three steals to her totals. Shavonne Jones finished with 10 points and four rebounds.

Turnovers slowed the Lady Colonels to begin the game. Eastern turned the ball over seven times in the first six and a half minutes of play, but only trailed by one point.

Austin Peay used a 6-0 run to take an eight point advantage, 18-10, with 8:26 left in the opening half. However, the Lady Colonels answered with seven unanswered points of their own to get back within one, 18-17, with 5:41 showing on the clock.

The Lady Colonels scored the final three points of the half to grab the lead. Crystal Jones bucketed a lay-up with 36 seconds remaining and Ashley Cazee hit on one of two free throw attempts with 14 seconds to go before the break to send Eastern Kentucky to the locker room in front 27-26.

The Lady Colonels will conclude their 2007-08 regular season schedule on Saturday with a home game against Tennessee State. Tip-off at McBrayer Arena is scheduled for 3 p.m.