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Game Notes

RICHMOND, Ky. – After opening the 2010 calendar year by playing four games in eight days, the Eastern Kentucky women’s basketball team will now play four straight games at home over 10 days. The home stand begins on Thursday when Eastern Illinois visits McBrayer Arena.

The game is sponsored by University Book & Supply. Tip-off between the Lady Colonels (8-7, 5-1 OVC) and the Panthers (8-8, 4-1 OVC) is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The game will air live in the Richmond area on WEKY 1340 AM, and can be heard worldwide on EKUSports.com.

Eastern suffered its first conference loss of the season on Saturday, falling on the road to Tennessee Tech, 75-47. Over the past two games the Lady Colonels have failed to play with the defensive intensity the team featured for much of the season.

In winning their first five conference games, EKU held opponents to 56.8 points per game, 21.3 percent three-point shooting and out-rebounded its foes by six boards per game. In its last two games, EKU has allowed 71 points per game, been out-rebounded by 19 and its opponents have shot 37.5 percent from three-point range.

Against Tennessee Tech, Talisha Davis led EKU with 14 points. The junior earned Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week honors on Monday. She led the Lady Colonels to a pair of victories in three games last week. In those three games, Davis averaged 21.3 points and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range.

This is the 25th meeting between Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois. EKU leads the all-time series 14-10, but EIU has won four straight and seven of the last eight between the two teams.

Eastern Illinois is one of the hottest teams in the conference. The Panthers have won three straight by an average margin of 25.3 points. EIU dismantled Southeast Missouri on Saturday, beating the Redhawks 67-39. The Panthers limited SEMO to 25.4 percent shooting from the floor and out-rebounded Southeast 52-31.

Maggie Kloak led the Panthers with 16 points and nine rebounds. Chantelle Pressley added 13 points and eight boards. Ta’Kenya Nixon and Dominique Sims each add 11 points. Nixon also contributed six assists.

Nixon is one of the top freshmen in the league this season. She leads her team, and ranks fourth in the OVC in scoring (14.1 ppg). She leads the conference in shooting (52.8 percent) and is fourth in assists (4.3 apg). Nixon is second on the team in rebounding (5.8 rpg).

Kloak averages 12.3 points and a team-best 6.2 boards per game.

As a team, EIU averages 71.1 points and allows 65.3. Eastern Illinois leads the OVC in scoring and field goal percentage (42.3 percent). The Panthers hold a slim rebounding edge over their opponents and commit 2.4 turnovers less than their foes.