RICHMOND, Ky. — Newcomer Qay Stanton scored a career-high 16 points for the Eastern Kentucky University women’s basketball team in a 83-63 loss to Eastern Illinois University on Thursday at McBrayer Arena.
A late first quarter 3-point barrage allowed Eastern Illinois to turn a 2-point deficit into a 13-point lead. Four of the Panthers final seven field goals of the quarter came from long range. Morgan Litwiller’s three with three seconds on the clock put the visitors on top 27-14 after 10 minutes of play.
Nine unanswered in the second quarter allowed EIU to build a 41-19 advantage. A lay-up by Samari Mowbray with seven seconds to go in the second quarter sent Eastern Kentucky to the locker room down 46-23.
The Panthers shot 51 percent in the first half from the field, including making 6-of-11 (55 percent) from 3-point range. The Colonels were 7-for-28 (25 percent) from the field, and just 4-of-17 (24 percent) from behind the arc. Eastern Illinois turned eight EKU turnovers into a 17-3 advantage in points off turnovers.
Eastern Kentucky got within 18 after an 8-0 run late in the third quarter. One free throw each from I’liyah Green and Mowbray cut the deficit to 65-47. The Colonels closed the gap to 18 twice more early in the fourth quarter on 3-pointers from Catie Kaifes and D’ayra Davis.
A pair of free throws from Stanton got the home squad within 16, 71-55, with 7:58 remaining in the game. However, the Colonels never got any closer.
Stanton was 5-for-9 from the field with four assists, three rebounds and two steals. Green finished with a career-best 15 rebounds to go along with 10 points.
Karle Pace scored a game-high 25 points for Eastern Illinois to go along with five steals and four rebounds. She made 7-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc, and knocked down 8-of-10 at the free throw line. Lariah Washington added 15 points.
Eastern Illinois shot 40 percent for the game from the field. Eastern Kentucky hit on 32 percent of its shots.
The Colonels will host Southern Illinois Edwardsville on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
