The Eastern Kentucky University women’s basketball team outscored Eastern Illinois University 22-4 in the first quarter to blow by the Panthers, 67-51, Saturday afternoon in McBrayer Arena.
A’Queen Hayes and Bria Bass powered the offense for the Colonels. Hayes posted in her second double-double of the season with 20 points to go along with a career-high 16 rebounds, shattering her previous high of 11. Bass added a career-high 25 points after drilling 5-of-8 from beyond the arc and shooting 58 percent from the field.
EKU (5-8, 2-2 OVC) opened the contest on a 9-1 run that began off of a Hayes jumper. After EIU’s Danielle Berry hit a free throw the Colonels found Bass open under the net to add two more. Joya Smith hit Madison Pierce for the layup to cap the run.
With 8:25 remaining in regulation Halle Stull notched a layup to spark 10 unanswered points for the Panthers (1-14, 0-4 OVC) to close the gap to 11, 51-40, proving to be the closest they would come to the hot-shooting Colonels. Bass found an answer from the left wing on the other end to stifle the run.
Eastern Kentucky held the Panthers, who average 34 percent on the season from the field, to just 28 percent from shooting. EIU shot just six percent in the first quarter.
Taylor Steele (13) and Stull (16) each found themselves in double-figures to lead the Panthers.
EKU will be back in action at the University of Tennessee at Martin on January 11. Tip is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
— www.EKUSports.com —
Kevin Britton
Assistant Athletics Director for Communications & Branding
