Box Score (PDF)

RICHMOND, Ky.  – Four Colonels scored in double figures, as the EKU women's basketball team separated itself in the fourth quarter with a 15-7 run on its way to a 75-63 win over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Thursday at McBrayer Arena.
 
Sophomore Abby Wright tallied 16 points along with seven rebounds—both season highs—in the win. Seniors Alexus Cooper (14), Shavontae Naylor (13), and Jalen O'Bannon (10) also finished in double digits for Eastern. Naylor, meanwhile, finished a single rebound shy of her second double-double of the season, along with a season-high six assists. Senior Mariah Massengill also dished out six assists, as seven Colonels recorded an assist in the win.
 
The Colonels finished 32-of-68 (47 percent) from the field for their third best shooting night of the season. The EKU offense dished out a combined 19 assists for the second time this season.
 
EKU carried a six-point advantage into the final frame, before outscoring the Cougars 8-3 in the opening minutes of the fourth. SIUE closed the margin to seven, before Eastern netted seven unanswered points to solidify its second OVC win in as many games.
 
Wright knocked down a jumper to spark the run, before the sophomore found a cutting Cooper in the lane for the bucket. Cooper drew the foul on the play and completed the old-fashioned three-point play to widen the EKU lead to 71-59 with 2:54 to play.

An acrobatic pass from Massengill to Cooper capped the EKU run, as the Colonels built their largest lead of the game at 73-59 in the closing minutes on their way to the victory.
 
The Colonels connected on their first six shots from the field, as they jumped out to a 13-6 lead over the visiting Cougars. Both teams opened the contest hitting 6-of-12 from the field.
 
O'Bannon got EKU on the board with a jumper, before Cooper stepped in front of a SIUE pass and took it the length of the floor for the score, putting Eastern up 4-0 early.

After the Cougars got on the board, junior Madison Wood found Cooper alone on the left side for the easy three-pointer, extending the Colonel lead back to five. Back-to-back buckets from Wood and Wright widened the EKU lead to seven with 6:25 left in the opening period.
 
SIUE, however, took its first lead of the contest after a 9-4 run. Southern Illinois Edwardsville claimed the lead in the opening quarter, but the Colonels rallied and regained the lead on a deep ball from Wright to regain the lead for good.
 
The Cougars opened the second half on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 38, but a basket from Wood kept EKU in front for the remainder of the contest.
 
EKU will continue OVC play at McBrayer Arena on Saturday against Eastern Illinois University. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.