Box Score (PDF)

DAYTON, Ohio – The defense stifled the Miami (OH) University offense in the final period, holding the Redhawks without a field goal in the final 7:46, but the Colonels could not complete the comeback in Tuesday's, 65-54, loss at the Wright State Invitational presented by Holiday Inn.
 
Senior guard Shavontae Naylor led the EKU offense with 17 points on the day. Naylor connected on 7-of-10 attempts from the free throw line, helping the Colonels close in on the Redhawk lead in the final period.
 
Trailing 56-44, Naylor hit four straight free throws to trim the deficit to eight with 3:07 left to play. Naylor and the EKU defense tightened late. The Colonels held Miami without a field goal in the final 7:46, missing on its final seven attempts from the field.
 
However, the Redhawks' final nine points came at the free throw line as Miami netted 20-of-26 attempts in the contest (77 percent). The Colonels hit 19-of-29 (66 percent) from the charity stripe.
 
Naylor's four steals lead the EKU defense which turned in 11 steals—its third highest total for a single game this season.
 
The Colonels led 30-27 at the break, before the Redhawks outscored EKU 22-8 in the third period to take the lead for good.
 
After being held scoreless for nearly four minutes, a layup from Alexus Cooper got the Colonels on the board. Trailing 7-2, freshman Tae'lour Richardson found sophomore Abby Wright with a crafty pass to the paint for the bucket.
 
Minutes later, O'Bannon hauled in a defensive rebound and ran the floor before finding Cooper for the score, tying the game at nine with 1:36 left in the opening quarter.
 
As time wound down in the first, senior Naylor followed her own miss for the put back as EKU held on to a 12-10 lead after one.
 
The Colonels widened their lead in the second. A basket from senior Zee Willix put Eastern in front, 16-12. Following a Miami score, senior Mariah Massengill sank three free throws, putting EKU up five.
 
Senior Katie Pippen knocked down a three-pointer from the right side off an inbounds play following three straight from the Redhawks. On the ensuing EKU possession, Pippen netted a pull up jumper, keeping the Colonels' lead at five.
 
Pippen's jumper started a 6-0 run for EKU which spanned 2:12. Meanwhile, the Colonel defense kept the Redhawks off the scoreboard of 2:28.
 
However, Miami scored five unanswered points to close the half and cut the lead to three at intermission.
 
The Colonels take on Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne on Wednesday in their final game of Wright State Invitational presented by Holiday Inn. Wednesday's contest is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. tip.