Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –  The EKU women's basketball team outscored the home standing Lady Tigers of Tennessee State University, 25-9, in the final 10 minutes to hand TSU its first loss of the season at the Gentry Center with a 70-66 win on Wednesday.
 
Trailing 57-45 at the end of three, EKU opened the final stanza on a 9-2 run to narrow the TSU lead to four.
 
Junior Jalen O'Bannon ignited the run with a strong finish at the rim, drawing the TSU foul. O'Bannon converted the old-fashioned three-point play, as the Colonels cut the deficit to nine just 36 seconds into the fourth period.
 
On the following EKU possession, redshirt junior Alexus Cooper picked the pocket of TSU's Jordan Brightwell and found freshman Jada Triplett behind the arc for the bucket as the Colonels gained momentum with 8:14 left to play.
 
After a basket from junior Zee Willix cut the TSU lead to 58-54, the Lady Tigers used a 6-2 run to extend their lead back to eight with 6:06 left to play.
 
However, the Colonels dominated the closing minutes, holding the Tigers to an insignificant four points in the final 6:06 as TSU connected on just one of its final eight field goal attempts. Meanwhile, the Colonels hit five of their last seven field goals.
 
Down by three, EKU evened the gap at 64 with 2:43 remaining as senior Shameekia Murray put back an offensive miss for the score and drew the foul for yet another three-point play for the Colonels.
 
Jayda Johnson connected on jumper to give TSU a 66-64 lead with 2:24 left in regulation, but EKU responded again.
 
Junior Michaela Hunter took it the length of the floor for the score and the foul. Hunter's three-point play gave the Colonels a 67-66 advantage and their first lead since the 8:24 mark in the opening period.
 
The Colonel defense came up with another timely stop, as O'Bannon stepped to the free throw line. O'Bannon hit one of two, extending the EKU lead to 68-66 with 1:09 on the clock.
 
Following a TSU timeout, the Lady Tigers missed on four shots before Willix pulled down the defensive rebound.  Willix and O'Bannon netted two free throws in the final 10 seconds to move the Colonels to 6-4 in Ohio Valley Conference play.
 
The Colonels led for only 2:18, but it was all they needed.
 
O'Bannon finished with a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds, logging her 11^th double-double of the season. Murray added 14 points and three steals, as freshman Abby Wright shot 4-for-6 from deep, finishing with 12 points in the win.
 
EKU returns to Nashville on Saturday to take on Belmont (14-7, 6-2 OVC). The Bruins enter Saturday's contest 9-0 on the season at the Curb Center. Saturday's game is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.