WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
Miami (Ohio) 75,
@Eastern Kentucky 57
@Alabama State 68,
Jacksonville State 63
@No. 20 Arkansas 91,
Belmont 60
Saint Louis 68,
SIUE 35
MIAMI (OHIO) 75, EASTERN KENTUCKY 57
RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky University’s women’s basketball team cut a 21-point deficit to six, but couldn’t complete the comeback bid in a 75-57 loss to Miami (Ohio) University on Wednesday at McBrayer Arena.
Two lay-ups by I’Liyah Green and a jumper from De’ayra Davis gave the Colonels (2-2) an early 6-2 advantage. After the Redhawks (3-1) went in front by three, a basket from Bria Bass with 2:06 left in the first quarter made it a 1-point game, 17-16. However, Eastern went the next 8:38 without scoring as Miami rolled off a 17-0 run.
Green’s jumper from 15-feet put a stop to the Redhawk run with 3:28 left on the clock in the second quarter, but Miami had a 16-point advantage, 34-18. Miami’s largest lead of 21 came with 43 seconds left in the first half. EKU trailed by 19 at the break, 41-22. The Redhawks tuned 11 Eastern Kentucky first half turnovers into a 12-0 advantage in points off turnovers.
The Colonels got back in the game in the third quarter with the help of Bria Bass. Eastern began the quarter on a 14-3 run, with 10 points coming from Bass. Her lay-up got it started. Her 3-pointer capped it and got EKU within 10, 46-36. A jumper from Anysa Jordan with 3:04 left in the third made it a 6-point game, 50-44.
A long jumper by Bass with 23 seconds remaining in the third quarter cut it to six again, 52-46, but the Redhawks scored the next 10 points to end Eastern’s comeback bid.
Bass led the Colonels with 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting. She also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Jordan finished with 11 points.
Lauren Dickerson had a game-best 37 points for Miami. She hit on 14-of-27 from the field, including 8-of-17 from 3-point range. Savannah Kluesner contributed a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
EKU returns to action on Sunday at Mercer. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
ALABAMA STATE 68, JACKSONVILLE STATE 63
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Junior Taylor Hawks gave everything she had in a career-high performance, but the Jacksonville State women's basketball team concluded Wednesday night with a tough road setback to Alabama State
Hawks, a junior guard from Gainesville, Ga., scored a career-high 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, which included a career-high six three-point baskets and one free throw. She surpassed her previous career high -- 20 points against Tennessee State on Feb. 16, last season -- with her sixth made 3-point shot when the Gamecocks were attempting a come-from-behind effort late in the fourth quarter.
The Gamecocks took a quick 4-0 lead off back-to-back baskets by Kiana Johnson to start the game and even extended the advantage to 6-2 after a Brittany Webster layup less than three minutes in. However, the Hornets reeled off an 8-0 scoring run to take a 10-6 lead at the 6:16 mark of the first quarter. It was a lead the Hornets would not relinquish despite the Gamecocks' best efforts.
After JSU cut its deficit to 12-10 on a Hawks' 3-point shot with 5:05 remaining in the opening quarter, Alabama State responded with another scoring run to close in on a double figure margin. Chloe Long brought Jax State back as she made it 36-35, to begin the second half. After the Hornets expanded their lead, Hawks cut it back to two at 39-37 midway through the third quarter.
The ASU lead ballooned back to 10 at 52-42 during the early stages of the final period and even made it an 11-point advantage with under 5:00 to play. A 10-0 stretch for JSU made it a one-point game again with 2:57 remaining. After the Hornets answered with a 3-point basket to push their lead back to four, Hawks sank another triple to make it 61-60 with 53 seconds on the clock.
After the two exchanges baskets with under a minute to play, two more ASU free throws pushed the lead to 66-63, where a turnover disrupted JSU's final attempt to tie the game.
The Gamecocks will return to action on Sunday, Nov. 24 when Fort Valley State visits Pete Mathews Coliseum for a 2 p.m. tip time.
ARKANSAS 91, BELMONT 60
FAYETTEVILLE, Ala. -Senior Ellie Harmeyer's season-high 24 points were not enough to take down the No. 20/18 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena Wednesday night.
Harmeyer added eight rebounds and a pair of assists, as fellow senior Maddie Wright chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds on the night. The freshman duo of Kiki Britzmann and Cam Browning meshed for 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Bruins.
Junior Chelsea Dungee and freshman Makayla Danield led the way for the Razorbacks with 21 points each and a combined seven rebounds.
SAINT LOUIS 68, SIUE 35
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE women's basketball fell to offensive struggles Wednesday at the First Community Arena in the Vadalabene Center.
The Cougars made 12 of 61 shots in a 68-35 loss to rival Saint Louis University. The Billikens improved to 4-1 while the Cougars dropped to 1-4.
Christen King and Mikia Keith both scored six points to lead the Cougars. Teammate Allie Troeckler contributed 10 rebounds, including seven off the offensive glass.
Kendra Wilken paced the Billikens. She made all seven of her floor shots, scored a career-best 19 points and tied her career-high with 10 rebounds.
SIUE trailed by 27-19 score at halftime even though the Cougars connected on 6 of 29 shots the first half.
Next up for the Cougars is a trip to Columbia, Missouri, to take on Missouri Sunday at 2 p.m.
Following Sunday's game, the Cougars are idle until Wednesday, Dec. 4, when they play host to Purdue Fort Wayne at 5:30. SIUE also welcomes Loyola at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8.