Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A late 9-0 run gave the Eastern Kentucky women’s basketball team a two-point lead, but a three minute scoring drought allowed Tennessee State to escape with a 61-54 win on Sunday at the Gentry Center.

EKU (9-12, 5-6 OVC) shot 43.6 percent from the field but TSU (8-12, 5-6 OVC) turned 25 Lady Colonel turnovers into 25 points and out-scored Eastern by 20 at the free throw line.

Freshman Shakeyia Colyer led Eastern Kentucky with 11 points. Senior Sarah Fraser-Jones had nine points and four assists. Meredith Stafford scored a game-high 18 points, nine of which came from the free throw line, for the Lady Tigers. Oby Okafor added 14 points.

Tennessee State entered the game with the lowest free throw percentage (57.8 percent) in the Ohio Valley Conference, but the Lady Tigers knocked down 24-of-27 attempts for 88.9 percent, including 14-of-15 in the second half.

The score was tied five times through the first 15 minutes of the first half, but after a jumper by Colyer tied it at 23-23, Tennessee State ended the first half on a 12-2 run. EKU did not score again in the first half after a basket by Colette Cole with 4:16 showing on the clock. Stafford’s three-pointer with 1:03 to go before the break sent the Lady Tigers to the locker room with a 10-point advantage, 35-25.

The Lady Colonels shot 50 percent (12-for-24) in the first half, but TSU converted Eastern Kentucky’s 15 first half turnovers into 19 points. The Lady Tigers outscored EKU 10-1 at the free throw line.

A 9-0 run allowed Eastern Kentucky to draw within two in the second half. A traditional three-point play by Michaelea Kleist capped the run and made it 43-41 with 12:55 left in the game.

Trailing by seven with less than 10 minutes to play, another 9-0 run pushed EKU out in front. An offensive rebound and put-back by Cole with 7:17 remaining to play kept the Lady Colonels within striking distance, 50-47. With neither team scoring over the next two minutes, another basket by Cole with 5:04 showing on the clock made it a one-point game. At the 4:23 mark, a three-pointer from the left wing by Fraser-Jones put EKU on top, 52-50, for the first time since the 13:50 mark of the first half.

However, Eastern didn’t score again until five seconds remained in the game. Two free throws by Stafford tied it and a basket by Nikki Rumph gave the Lady Tigers the lead for good with three minutes left to play.

The Lady Colonels will play their next two games at home, beginning with Jacksonville State on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Notes
The Lady Colonel coaching staff participated in the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend. The event is a collaborative initiative of the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Participating NABC member coaches wore sneakers instead of dress shoes with their suits during weekend games to demonstrate their support for the American Cancer Society.

After winning five straight conference games to start the season, EKU has lost six straight against league foes.

Eastern Kentucky entered the game ranked 28th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage defense (27.6 percent). Tennessee State shot 23.1 percent (3-for-13) from three-point range. EKU has held eight of its last 11 foes, to 27 percent shooting or less from three-point range.

Tennessee State entered the game last in the OVC in free throw shooting (57.8 percent). The Lady Tigers made 24-of-27 for 88.9 percent on Sunday.

Tennessee State entered the game ranked ninth in the OVC in scoring defense, allowing 68.7 points per game. Eastern scored just 54 points.

EKU shot 46 percent from the field in the first meeting of the season between the two teams. On Sunday in Nashville, the Lady Colonels shot 43.6 percent.

Tennessee State had 17 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded Eastern by six in the first meeting between the two teams. On Sunday, TSU had 10 offensive rebounds and was out-rebounded by nine.

Tennessee State entered the game 0-9 this season when allowing opponents to shoot 40 percent or better from the field, but won on Sunday despite EKU’s 43.6 percent shooting effort.

The Eastern Kentucky bench has out-scored its opponents’ bench in 13 of the last 14 games.

Eastern Kentucky has out-rebounded 14 of its 21 opponents this season.

EKU leads the all-time series 31-14. Eastern is now 11-11 all-time in Nashville.