Box ScoreBOWLING GREEN, Ky.— A 14-2 run in the opening period gave Western Kentucky University the cushion it needed as the homestanding Hilltoppers defeated the Eastern Kentucky University women's basketball team, 76-60, Wednesday at E.A. Diddle Arena.
Eastern Kentucky battled back numerous times through the remainder of the contest, but could not cut the deficit to less than 10.
The Hilltoppers outscored the Colonels 14-2 in the final 4:33 to open up a 14 point lead after one. Western led 10-5, before
Mariah Massengill connected on a three-pointer to pull the Colonels within two,10-8, with 4:33 left in the opening period.
However, Western scored 10 unanswered to close out the opening period and carried momentum the rest of the way.
Eastern's three-point shooting helped close in on the Hilltopper lead in the second period. The Colonels knocked down 4-of-6 from behind the arc in the second period.
Redshirt junior
Alexus Cooper buried a long ball from the right wing to narrow the Hilltoppers' lead back to 14 at 29-15.
Cooper's long ball sparked a 14-4 run for the Colonels. Eastern converted from deep on the ensuing three possessions, as
Abby Wright,
Michaela Hunter and Cooper all found the bottom of the net.
The Colonels added five straight to pull within 10 with 1:05 remaining in the first half, before Western netted four unanswered in the closing 65 seconds to push its lead back to 14 at the break.
Abby Wright paced the Colonels with 14 points, as Cooper, Massengill and
Shameekia Murray each added 10.
The Lady Tops were led by Tashia Brown, who scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Eastern travels to Gainesville, Florida this weekend for the Gator Holiday Classic. The Colonels will face North Carolina State Sunday at noon ET.
