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RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University's women's basketball team grabbed 17 offensive rebounds in a 68-61 victory over Ohio Valley Conference foe Jacksonville State on Saturday at McBrayer Arena.

It was EKU's seventh win in its last eight games.

Sophomore Shelly Harper's offensive rebound with 1:17 on the clock may have been the most important of the game.  Senior Pilar Walker's free throw put the Lady Colonels in front 60-58, but she missed the second attempt.  Harper was there for the board.  With 55.8 seconds remaining senior Marie Carpenter drove into the lane, knocked down the jumper and was fouled.  Her ensuing free throw made it a five-point game.

The Gamecocks (6-14, 2-5 OVC) never recovered.  Eastern (10-6, 4-1 OVC) ended the game on an 11-3 run.

Carpenter finished with 22 points.  She was just 7-for-21 from the field, but went 7-for-7 at the free throw line and was one of three Lady Colonels to grab seven rebounds.  Walker added 19 points.

EKU – which entered the game leading the OVC in rebounding margin (+3.9) – out-rebounded Jacksonville State 44-30.  Eastern Kentucky shot just 35 percent from the field and made just 25 percent from behind the arc.  The Lady Colonels went to the free throw line 15 more times and made 12 more than the visitors.

Destany McLin had a team-high 22 points and eight rebounds for JSU.  Candace Morton added 19 points.

Jacksonville State opened the second half with a 10-2 run to turn a tie game into a 38-30 lead.  The Lady Colonels began the second half 1-for-6 from the field.

JSU led by five, 44-39, when Eastern put together an 11-4 run to go in front by two.  Sophomore Jasmine Stafford hit a lay-up and a free throw to cut the deficit to three, 47-44.  After a Gamecock free throw, sophomore Miranda Maples knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the key to get the home team within one.  Three EKU free throws, including two from Stafford, capped the run and made it 50-48 with 5:42 to go.

The two teams played to a 28-28 tie at halftime.  Eastern shot just 33 percent from the field, but out-rebounded JSU by 12 in the first half, including grabbing 10 boards off the offensive glass.

The Lady Colonels will return to action next Saturday at Belmont.  Tip-off in Nashville is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.