Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Junior Talisha Davis scored a game-high 21 points to lead Eastern Kentucky to a 61-54 overtime victory against Austin Peay Monday night at McBrayer Arena. APSU scored with 13 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime, but the Lady Colonels used an 8-0 run to take control in the extra frame.

EKU improved to 7-6 on the season and 4-0 in Ohio Valley Conference games.

Freshman Michaelea Kleist registered a career-best 14 points to go along with five rebounds for Eastern. Freshman Brittany Coles contributed 10 points and six boards. Freshman Alex Jones posted eight points and 10 rebounds.

Ashley Herring contributed a double-double for the Lady Govs (3-12, 2-3 OVC), finishing with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Meghan Bussabarger scored 13 points.

APSU’s Jasmine Rayner (9.0 ppg) and Whitney Hanley (8.1 ppg) entered the game averaging a combined 17 points per game, but were held to five points total.

After taking a 25-22 lead into the locker room at the break, the Lady Govs scored the first four points of the second half to take a seven-point advantage, 29-22, their largest lead of the game. A lay-up by Kleist followed by a three-pointer from the right wing by Davis allowed the Lady Colonels to tie the score 31-31 with 13:27 left in the game.

Davis knocked down another three, this time from the left wing, to give Eastern a 34-31 lead with 11:25 to go. A three-pointer by Coles with 7:55 showing on the clock to cap a 13-2 run for EKU and put the Lady Colonels ahead 39-33.

Back-to-back baskets by Jones pushed Eastern Kentucky out in front by eight, 44-36, with six minutes left to play. Austin Peay didn’t fold. The Lady Govs scored seven straight to claw within one, 44-43, with 2:25 to go. However, Davis answered with another three, this time from the right wing and well behind the men’s three-point line, to put a stop to the APSU run.

A pair of missed free throws and a turnover in the final minute and a half of regulation allowed the Lady Govs to tie the game. A tip-in by Bussabarger cut the EKU lead to two with 1:41 to go. Herring connected on a pair of free throws with 13 seconds on the clock to send the game to overtime.

Austin Peay scored first in the extra period, but the Lady Colonels scored eight straight to take a 55-49 lead. Kleist made two free throws to stretch the lead to four and then took a charge on the other end. Davis came back and hit a jumper to cap the run with 2:33 left in overtime.

Two more free throws by Herring allowed APSU to get within three with 1:15 remaining, but EKU made 5-of-6 attempts from the free throw line in the final minute to secure the victory.

The Lady Colonels will take to the road for their next two games. EKU will play at Jacksonville State on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. The road trip ends on Saturday at Tennessee Tech.

Notes
Prior to the game, junior Talisha Davis was selected OVC Newcomer of the Week for the third time this season.

Eastern Kentucky improved to 4-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play for the first time since the 2002-03 season. That year the Lady Colonels began the conference schedule with six straight wins.

The Eastern Kentucky bench scored 48 of the team’s 61 points against Austin Peay.

The Lady Colonels have matched their overall win total (7) and their conference win total (4) from the 2008-09 season (7-20, 4-14 OVC).

Austin Peay, the defending OVC tournament champion, was picked to finish second this season in the preseason OVC poll.

The Lady Colonels have held seven of their last eight opponents to 60 points or less.

Eastern Kentucky has now out-rebounded nine of its 13 opponents this season.

EKU is now 2-5 this season when trailing at halftime.

Austin Peay has lost seven straight games.

Eastern Kentucky snapped a two-game losing streak to Austin Peay.

EKU leads the all-time series between the two teams 43-26.

EKU junior Talisha Davis scored 859 points in two seasons at Lincoln Trail College. She needs nine more points to reach 1,000 for her collegiate career.