A smothering Chattanooga defense proved the difference Sunday, as Eastern Kentucky women’s basketball dropped a tightly-contested 52-44 decision on the road.
The 9-3 Colonels kept pace early, opening up a 15-14 edge after one quarter behind Ivy Turner’s seven points. But EKU labored through a brutal second period, managing just four points in the frame – the fifth-lowest output in a single quarter in program history.
Behind the hot hand of Jaida Guinn (19 points), the Mocs carried a 22-19 lead into the break. Sierra McCullough sparked an EKU surge early in the third, her consecutive buckets slicing the gap to 29-27.
But the Colonels faltered late, plagued by 24 turnovers against the Chattanooga pressure. Turner knocked down back-to-back treys to knot the score at 39-all, but the Mocs closed on a decisive 13-5 kick.
Turner paced EKU with 13 points and McCullough hauled in 10 boards, her sixth double-digit rebound effort this year. But scoring just 15 second-half points proved the Colonel undoing.
Eastern Kentucky wraps up its four-game road swing Tuesday night at Southeast Missouri State, looking to avenge Sunday’s loss when Ohio Valley Conference play opens next month.