Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky's women's basketball team trailed by as many as 13 in the first half and nine early in the second half before staging a rally to beat Austin Peay State University, 80-71, on Wednesday at McBrayer Arena.
 
Four scored in double figures for the Colonels (8-14, 5-4 OVC).  Jalen O'Bannon finished with 23 points and three blocks.  Shavontae Naylor also had 23 points to go along with seven rebounds.  Alexus Cooper contributed 14 points and eight rebounds.  Mariah Massengill totaled 13 points on 3-of-6 shooting from behind the arc.
 
After Keisha Gregory's three-pointer with 7:02 to go in the third quarter put the visiting Govs on top by nine, 43-34.  However, O'Bannon nailed a jumper on the other end that began a 12-1 run to turn that nine-point deficit into a two-point lead.
 
Massengill hit a three-pointer and Abby Wright made a jumper to cap a string of nine unanswered to tie the game.  After an APSU free throw, Cooper connected on a jumper and Naylor made a free throw to finish off the run and make it 46-44 with 2:50 showing on the clock in the third.
 
The Govs tied it at 48-48, but Eastern scored the next six points and never trailed again.  Massengill's three-pointer with one second left in the quarter put the Colonels ahead 57-52.
 
EKU shot 75 percent (12-for-16) in the third quarter to fuel the comeback.  The Colonels finished the night by shooting 57 percent from the field and 55 percent from three-point range (6-for-11). 
 
Back-to-back jumpers by Cooper and Naylor in the final four minutes of the game stretched the home team's lead to double digits for the first time, 72-61.  Austin Peay never got closer than eight the rest of the way.
 
APSU used a 20-9 first half run to take a 13-point lead.  A lay-up by Bri Williams made it an 11-point lead for the visitors with 7:48 left in the second quarter.  Her three-pointer at the 4:09 mark stretched the lead to 36-23.
 
Tearra Banks led all players with 30 points for Austin Peay (11-12, 5-5 OVC).  She hit 10-of-11 at the free throw line.  Williams was the only other Gov to reach double figures, finishing with 10 points.
 
The Colonels will hit the road to face Tennessee-Martin on Saturday at 5 p.m.