Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – The EKU women's basketball team cruised to a 91-62 win over Western Carolina University Saturday in its home opener at McBrayer Arena.
 
The Colonels' defense set the tone early. Shameekia "Polly" Murray forced a Western Carolina turnover on its first possession and found Jalen O'Bannon for the score to give Eastern the first points of the game.
 
Eastern carried an 18-13 lead into the second period, but the Catamounts strung together a five-point run to take a 23-22 lead—their first and only lead of the contest.
 
From there the Colonels took care of business, using a 13-0 run to gain momentum for good. O'Bannon capped the Eastern run with a lay-up off yet another Western Carolina turnover.
 
The Catamounts cut the lead to 11, 39-28, before freshman Jada Triplett nailed her second career three-pointer to give the Colonels their largest lead of the first half. Following a tip-in from Western Carolina, Eastern took a 42-30 lead into the locker room.
 
The Colonels added a 10-point cushion to their lead in the third period, limiting the Western Carolina offense to a mere 11 points.
 
Eastern demonstrated its presence down low in the third, outscoring the Catamounts 14-2 in the paint.
 
Freshman Abby Wright laid it in to give the Colonels an 18-point advantage near the midway point of the third. A tip-in from senior Miranda Maples put Eastern up 26 with 1:05 to play.
 
Shortly after, a Katie Pippen long ball from the corner gave the Colonels an 89-60 lead as the Colonels notched their first win of the young season. The 29-point win marked the largest win for the program since a 73-48 win over Asbury December 2, 2014.
 
Junior Jalen O'Bannon led all scorers with 21 points and nine rebounds, finishing just shy of her first career double-double. Murray added 20 points, eight rebounds and five steals. The talented roster of the Colonels proved itself as 10 Colonels scored in the win.
 
The Colonels (1-1, 0-0 OVC) travel to Miami (OH) Tuesday for a 12 p.m. contest.