The Eastern Kentucky University women’s basketball team scored the first five points of the game, but gave up an 18-2 Jacksonville State University run that extended the remainder of the first quarter. The run was too much to overcome, and the Colonels fell to the Gamecocks, 65-51, Thursday night at Pete Mathews Coliseum.
A strong move inside from A’Queen Hayes and triple by Bria Bass helped EKU (3-7, 0-1 OVC) jump out to the quick 5-0 lead. However, a layup by Tasha Magruder ignited the 18-2 JSU run to close out the first period.
The Colonels were led in scoring by Abby Wright, who scored 14 points and was an efficient 7-of-8 from the foul line. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee native also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and blocked two shots. Bass was the only other Colonel to finish in double-figures, adding 11 points. Hayes also joined Wright with eight boards and a team-high two steals.
EKU gave chase at the lead late, when a Shay Solomon jumper helped the Colonels go on an 8-2 run to bring the Colonels within 13, 56-43, with 6:30 left in the contest. After Jacksonville State extended the lead to 15, Eastern scored the next four points, capped by a pair of Wright free-throws, to make the score 61-50. It would be as close as the Colonels would come.
Eastern finished the contest shooting just 31 percent (19-of-61) from the field. The Colonels forced the Gamecocks into 13 turnovers, seven of them being steals, and scored 10 fast break points, compared to just six for JSU.
Jacksonville State (7-5, 1-0 OVC) was led by Taylor Hawks, who scored a game-high 18 points.
The Colonels have a short turnaround, as they travel to take on Tennessee Tech on Saturday, Dec. 30. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET.
— www.EKUSports.com —
Kevin Britton
Assistant Athletics Director for Communications & Branding
