SUNDAY'S SCORES
Oakland 61,
Jacksonville State 55
@Kentucky 81,
Austin Peay 52
@Eastern Kentucky 71, Chattanooga 65
Eastern Illinois 66, @Lipscomb 56
OAKLAND 61, JACKSONVILLE STATE 55
MIAMI, Fla. - Junior Taylor Hawks had a game-high 18 points, but the Jacksonville State women's basketball team dropped a tough 61-55 contest to Oakland University on Sunday afternoon in the Ocean Bank Center on the campus of Florida International.
Wrapping up its 2019 Thanksgiving Classic time in Miami, the Gamecocks (3-5) were unable to hold a late lead against Oakland (4-3), after fighting to come back most of the game. The afternoon was filled with runs as both sides put together impressive stretches to either pull away or slowly climb back.
Behind Hawks' 18 points, Kiana Johnson and Destiney Elliott also reached double figures for Jax State, while Chloe Long recorded three blocks on the defensive end.
Oakland buried back-to-back threes on its first two possessions and quickly built an 11-2 lead in the opening three minutes of the game. The margin was still nine at the media break, but a couple of drives by Hawks brought JSU back within a score before the Grizzlies sank a running floater at the horn to lead 17-11 at the end of the first period.
After JSU cut it to three, the Oakland used a 7-0 run into the second to grab its first double-digit lead of the game at 21-11, but the Gamecocks clawed back with a 9-0 stretch of their own to pull within one. A three by Elliott made it 21-18, followed by a pair of free throws from Hawks on the next possession. OU answered with a triple to cut JSU's momentum and pad the lead back to six at halftime, holding JSU to its lowest first-half total of the season with just 24 points.
The trend of runs continued in the second half as JSU opened with a 6-0 stretch capped by two free throws by Hawks to even the score at 30. The Grizzlies held failed to relinquish the lead until Johnson's short jumper in the paint pushed JSU in front 39-38 for the first time since JSU lead 2-0 to open the game. OU would retake the lead briefly before Johnson, Long and Day scored big points in the paint to send JSU to the fourth with its largest lead of the day at 45-40.
Hawks added another point from the stripe to give JSU a six-point cushion, but the Grizzlies quickly erased the deficit with another big run, this time 11-0 to lead 51-46. Johnson converted an old-fashion three-point play to bring JSU back with two at the under 5:00 media timeout.
Hawks brought JSU back with a point one final time at 55-56 on a pair of free throws, but the Grizzlies forced turnovers on JSU's late possessions to hang on to the lead late and secure the 61-55 result.
The Gamecocks return home to host Clark-Atlanta University next Sunday, Dec. 8, at Pete Mathews Coliseum .
KENTUCKY 81, AUSTIN PEAY 52
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Austin Peay fell at No. 14 Kentucky, 81-52, on Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the Governors fell to 5-2 on the season.
Brianah Ferby led the team with 13 points. Maggie Knowles knocked down a trio of three-pointers to finish the game with 11 points.
Austin Peay returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 14 when it travels to Alabama A&M.
EASTERN KENTUCKY 71, CHATTANOOGA 65
RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky University’s women’s basketball team overcame a 7-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 71-65, on Sunday at McBrayer Arena. It was the Colonels third straight win.
Three 3-pointers to start the fourth allowed the Mocs to pull in front by seven, 54-47, with 7:58 remaining in the game. EKU (5-2) responded by scoring eight unanswered. Bria Bass hit a lay-up during the run and then capped it with a 3-pointer from the right wing to put the home team in front 55-54. Chattanooga took its final lead of the game, 59-58, on a lay-up by Lakelyn Bouldin with 3:45 to go and then a free throw with 2:43 showing on the clock.
A lay-up from De’ayra Davis with 2:24 to go put the Colonels in front for good, 60-59. After Samari Mowbray blocked a UTC shot, Bass laid it in on the other end for a 62-59 lead with 1:41 left. Davis put the game away when she knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing with 52 seconds to play and stretched the margin to six, 65-59.
Davis finished with 23 points, five rebounds and three assists. Bass had 17 points and five rebounds. I’Liyah Green scored three points, but grabbed a game-best 14 rebounds. Mowbray had nine points and nine rebounds.
Eastern scored the first eight points of the game and led by 10, 17-7, at the end of the first quarter. A Davis lay-up early in the second quarter gave the Colonels their largest lead of 12, 21-9. However, the Mocs out-scored EKU 22-12 the rest of the quarter and closed within two, 33-31, at halftime.
Chattanooga (1-8) completed the comeback by scoring the first four points of the third quarter. A put-back by Bouldin with 9:07 remaining put the visitors in front 35-33.
Eboni Williams led the Mocs with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Eastern shot 39 percent from the field for the game, but made 57 percent (8-of-14) in the fourth quarter. EKU held a 46-34 rebounding advantage, including 13 off the offensive glass.
Eastern Kentucky concludes its three-game home stand on Tuesday when Youngstown State visits McBrayer Arena. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 66, LIPSCOMB 56
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Panthers came away with a W against the Bison of Lipscomb on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers started off on a 9-3 run against the Bison. Abby Wahl scored 16 points, hauled in 5 rebounds and was an instant impact for EIU. Jordyn Hughes led the Panthers in scoring with 24 points on the day. Taylor Steele continued to flex her overall ability, finishing the game with 9 points and 13 rebounds. EIU's record moves to 4-3, while the Bison fall to 1-6 on the season.
Eastern got off to a strong start, with Wahl scoring 7 points in the first five minutes of play. Lipscomb struggled to keep the ball in their hands, committing four turnovers going into the first media timeout. The Panthers came out of the break looking a little careless with the basketball. The team ended the first quarter with six turnovers, the same as Lipscomb. To finish the quarter, Taylor Steele heaved up a prayer from three and nailed it at the buzzer, ending the first quarter 18-8 in favor of Eastern. Wahl led all scorers with 10 points at the end of the first.
The Panthers played well at the beginning of the second quarter, holding Lipscomb to only 7 points going into the media timeout. The Panthers still struggled to protect the ball, committing three early turnovers. Eastern finished the half with a total of 12 turnovers. Wahl continued to be the focal point of the Panthers offense, along with Jordyn Hughes, who continues to be instant offense off the bench. Wahl ended the half with 12 points, and Hughes ending with 7 points. Panthers led the Bison 33-24 at half.
The third quarter was a tough start for the half for both teams. The Panthers were outscored by Jalyn Holcomb alone, who had 7 points going into the media timeout. The Panthers struggled to stop Lipscomb's leading scorer, giving up a total of 9 points to her in the quarter. Hughes managed to get the Panthers out of their offensive bind, after going without a field goal for nearly four minutes. Eastern managed to score 12 points, while the Bison scored 16 on the quarter. The Panthers ended the quarter leading 45-40.
The Panthers came back with a vengeance, scoring 5 points and holding Lipscomb scoreless, and forcing them to take an early timeout with 8:32 left on the clock. Wahl blew past the defense, getting an easy lay-up and bringing her total up to 15 points. Jordyn Hughes remained hot, nailing the three that forced the Bison to take a timeout. Hughes led all scorers with 15 points on the game. Eastern continued to try to pull away, but the Bison wouldn't quit; keeping the score around 10 points for the entirety. Eastern did manage to come away with the victory: 66-56.
The Panthers will be back in Lantz Arena this week, Friday, Dec. 7 at 1 p.m.