Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The EKU women's basketball team advanced to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Championship for the first time since 2005, but fell to Belmont 95-63 in Saturday's title game at Municipal Auditorium.
 
EKU topped Austin Peay in the first round, before knocking off Murray State in Friday's semifinal matchup to earn its first appearance in the OVC Tournament championship game since the 2005 season.  
 
Junior Jalen O'Bannon and senior Shameekia Murray earned OVC All-Tournament nods for their efforts, as both scored in double figures in each game of the tournament.  
 
Friday's semifinal win gave Head Coach Chrissy Roberts her 100th career win, ranking second in program history. Roberts now ranks third among active OVC head coaches and 23rd all-time in the conference.
 
The Colonels entered the OVC Tournament as the fourth-seed, after a 10-6 mark in regular season play.
 
The Bruins opened the contest with a 5-0 run and never relinquished the lead. After Belmont extended its lead to 11-4, a 12-7 EKU run trimmed the lead to five at the end of the first.
 
Belmont slowly added to its lead throughout the second, outscoring the Colonels 23-20 in the period to take a 41-26 lead at the break.

EKU responded in the second half, going toe-to-toe with the Bruins. The Colonels cut the lead to 11, 55-44, with 4:16 left in the period, but could not get closer for the remainder of the contest.
 
Michaela Hunter led EKU with 16 points, along with 15 from O'Bannon and 14 from Murray.