Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University's women's basketball team used a 25-3 run to start the fourth quarter to break open a tie game and beat East Tennessee State University, 64-41, on Friday at McBrayer Arena.

The Colonels (3-1) began the fourth quarter by hitting on 11-of-15 from the field as they turned a 34-34 tie into a 59-37 lead.  Jalen O'Bannon scored six of the first 10 points of the run.  Abby Wright and Mariah Massengill contributed five points each.

O'Bannon led all players with 16 points and 16 rebounds.  It was her second double-double of the season.  Michaela Hunter had 15 points and four assists.  Wright, a freshman, made all five of her field goal attempts, both free throws and finished with a career-best 12 points.  Massengill added five points and six assists.

Back-to-back baskets by O'Bannon put Eastern Kentucky in front 46-37 with 4:46 left in the game.  Wright hit a jumper and then on EKU's next possession nailed a three-pointer for a 57-37 advantage with just over two minutes remaining.

EKU led by seven, 20-13, at halftime but had an opportunity to build a bigger first half lead as East Tennessee struggled to shoot the ball from every spot on the court.  However, the Colonels turned it over 14 times and shot 35 percent (9-for-26) from the field. 

ETSU made just 3-of-26 (11.5 percent) from the field in the first half and converted just two of its first 13 attempts at the free throw line.  East Tennessee also missed all 12 of its three-point attempts.  The Buccaneers finished 7-for-21 at the charity stripe in the first half.

East Tennessee turned it around in the third quarter, going 9-of-18 from the field (50 percent).  The Buccaneers scored the first nine points of the second half to fuel a 16-3 run that turned a 7-point deficit into a 6-point lead.  Yamile Rodriguez capped the run with a jumper at the 4:48 mark.

EKU answered with an 11-5 run to end the third quarter and leave the game tied 34-34 entering the final 10 minutes of play.

Eastern shot 50 percent from the field for the game.  ETSU made just 25 percent of its shots and was 10-for-32 from the free throw line.

The Colonels turned the ball over just six times in the second half.

Eastern Kentucky will be back in action on Thursday when Cincinnati Christian visits McBrayer Arena.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.