Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – With the Eastern Kentucky’s women’s basketball team leading by one, Tennessee Tech went on a 20-5 first half run on its way to an 82-67 victory on Saturday at McBrayer Arena.

Tacarra Hayes led TTU (9-13, 5-3 OVC) with 21 points and 14 rebounds.  Marie Carpenter had a team-best 13 points for the Lady Colonels (10-10, 5-4 OVC).

Kylie Cook scored eight straight to cap the Golden Eagles run, including a pair of three-pointers off back-to-back EKU turnovers.  Her lay-up off a third straight giveaway capped the run and put TTU in front by 14, 42-28, with 5:14 left in the first half.

The Lady Colonels closed out the first half with a 14-4 run of their own to close to within four at the break.  Carpenter’s transition three-pointer from the right wing made it 46-42

Tech connected on 55 percent of its first half shots, including 4-of-5 from behind the arc.  Eastern Kentucky shot 45 percent in the first half and hit 5-of-10 from deep, but was out-rebounded by 10.

EKU never got closer than four.  The Golden Eagles opened the second half with an 8-2 run to go up by double figures, 54-44, with 15:26 left to play.  Hayes scored five of the eight, including three on an old-fashioned three-point play.

Tennessee Tech shot 48 percent for the game and 54 percent from three-point range.  Eastern Kentucky made 34 percent of its shots and 32 percent from deep.  The Golden Eagles held an eight-rebound advantage.

Jade Barber had 12 points and six rebounds for EKU.  Alex Jones added 11 points and seven boards. 

Molly Heady, Rachel Glidden and Brittany Darling each had 13 points for the visitors.

The Lady Colonels will begin a stretch of three straight road games on Wednesday at Tennessee State.  Tip-off in Nashville is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.