Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Junior Jade Barber scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half, including a run of seven unanswered, to lead Eastern Kentucky to a 73-66 victory at Tennessee State on Wednesday night.

After taking a two-point lead into the locker room at halftime, Eastern Kentucky (11-10, 6-4 OVC) opened the second half with a 14-5 run to take a 45-34 lead.  Raechele Gray and Brittany Coles opened the second half with back-to-back three-pointers.

Eastern stymied a pair of Tennessee State comeback attempts. 

With the Lady Tigers down by 10, Kim Haynes knocked down a three-pointer to get the deficit into single digits with 10:33 left to play.  However, Barber went on a tear.  She hit a lay-up and converted a free throw at the other end to begin a run of seven straight unanswered points by the Louisville, Ky., native that put EKU out in front by 14, 56-42, with 9:28 to go.

Five unanswered by Tennessee State got the Lady Tigers within eight with less than four minutes remaining, but Gray answered at the other end with a three-pointer as the shot clock expired and TSU never threatened again.

Eastern made 6-of-7 free throw attempts in the final 1:15.  A three-pointer for Tennessee State by Haynes with 1.1 seconds left set the final margin at seven.

Gray led the Lady Colonels with 18 points.  The Shelbyville, Ky., native dished out seven assists and had only two turnovers in 39 minutes on the court.  Marie Carpenter had 14 points, going 8-for-8 at the free throw line.  Alex Jones recorded her 22nd career double-double, finishing with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Haynes had a team-best 19 points for Tennessee State (8-15, 4-7 OVC).

EKU shot 56 percent in the second half and 43 percent for the game.  The Lady Colonels went 19-for-20 at the charity stripe.  After not hitting a three-pointer in the first half, TSU stayed in the game by hitting 7-of-17 from deep in the second half.  However, the Lady Tigers made just 5-of-23 from inside the arc in the second stanza.

The first half was a battle of runs.  The Lady Colonels jumped out to a 13-4 lead behind seven points from LaRa`e Allen.  TSU didn’t score its fifth point until the 13:32 mark.  After the quick start by EKU, the Lady Tigers turned the table and ran off a 19-4 run to take a 23-17 point lead.  Eastern went 4:14 without scoring during the spurt.  A basket by Chelsea Hudson capped the run at the 5:30 mark. 

A 10-2 run late in the half by the Lady Colonels put the visitors on top 27-25.  Jones scored six of the 10 points.  Eastern took a 31-29 lead into the locker room at the break.

The Lady Colonels will return to action on Saturday at OVC newcomer SIU Edwardsville.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.