2020 OVC Women's Basketball Championship - First Round

3/5/2020 7:38:18 AM

#4 EASTERN ILLINOIS 49, #5 JACKSONVILLE STATE 46
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Women's basketball came out in to take place in the biggest game that Eastern Illinois has had in five years. The Panthers battled in a roughneck grit and grind 49-46 win over Jacksonville State. There were a total of 11 lead changes over the game. The game was frustrating and downright ugly at times, but the Panthers battled through adversity and managed their first win at the OVC tournament since 2010. The team was visibly thrilled after the comeback from a ten-point deficit, and Matt Bollant was overwhelmed with excitement after getting his first OVC win as the head coach of Eastern Illinois. The Panthers send the Gamecocks home empty handed with a 14-16 (10-8 OVC) record. The Panthers record moves to 18-11 (13-6 OVC), and will continue their incredible season against Chelsey Perry and the UT Martin Skyhawks.

EIU had an expected tough day shooting from the field. Eastern as a team shot 32.1% from the field on the day. Taylor Steele led all Panthers in scoring today with 11 points. Karle Pace had a tough day from the field, shooting 1-13, but came up big as a facilitator and defender during the final moments of the game. Pace ended with 8 points, seven rebounds, four assists and a key block that kept the Panthers ahead. Abby Wahl finished her first game at the OVC Tournament with 8 points and nine rebounds, and Lariah Washington ended with 10 points and three steals.

Jacksonville State was led by Destiney Elliott with 13 points and seven rebounds while Kiana Johnson added 12.

The Panthers and Gamecocks went back and forth with little success as five minutes in to the game the teams were tied at 2-2. At the media timeout, both teams were shooting below 15% from the field. Steele and Washington went back to back after the timeout increase the score, but just as EIU was getting hot, Jacksonville State responded with a three ball. JSU ended the quarter with back-to-back turnovers. Steele was fouled and nailed both free throws to end the quarter. Panthers led at the end of the first 14-9.

Eastern started out slow again in the second quarter, but Wahl forced her way down low and was fouled. Wahl hit both free throws and after some solid defense, she put on show in the paint with a turnaround hook shot. JSU started to mount a comeback in the middle of the second quarter. The Gamecocks went on a 8-0 run before the Pace scored her first two points on the day after hitting both of her free throws. At halftime, Panthers led 22-21.

Washington started the Panthers off on a good note with an easy layup. The Panthers started to force the offense again, as JSU pushed EIU's pace. The Gamecocks hit back-to-back and-one's. Jordyn Hughes fit EIU's first three-pointer of the game in the middle of the third, pulling the Panthers back into the game. Hughes continued to put up points in the third as she banked a floater in to put the Panthers up by a point. Pace made her first field goal late into the third quarter with a nifty inside layup. The game continued to go back and forth. JSU managed their largest lead to end the third quarter. JSU led 36-31.

The Panthers had gone nearly five minutes without scoring until Wahl sunk a mid-range shot. The Panthers had pulled back within eight points and couldn't afford to let the lead get away from them. The Panthers suddenly pulled back into the game and the momentum swung after Morgan Litwiller nailed a deep three-pointer. Pace came down after a JSU miss and found an open Washington who swished a free throw line jumper to pull EIU within three points. The defense came out huge late for the Panthers. Steele came up huge for Eastern as she tied the game off of a big three-pointer. Litwiller hit a free throw jumper to put Eastern up by two points, and Jacksonville State continued to stutter on the offensive end. The Panthers looked to have the win in the bag, but after a JSU block the Gamecocks ran down and hit another and-one. The Panthers offense pushed it down the floor and Washington raced ahead into contact and nailed the layup to put them up one with 40 seconds left. The Gamecocks were forced to foul putting Litwiller at the line. Litwiller went up to the line, but was unable to convert. JSU missed their first shot, and after a scrum JSU came away with it. JSU took the three-pointer and came up short to seal the Panthers win 49-46.

The Panthers will take on UT Martin tomorrow at 1 p.m.

#3 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 82, #6 TENNESSEE TECH 81
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Tesia Thompson scored a game-high 29 points and had 11 rebounds, and Taelour Pruitt made the game-winning 3-pointer with one second left to send #3 Southeast Missouri (23-7) to a thrilling 82-81 overtime win over #6 Tennessee Tech (17-13) Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.

In overtime, SEMO went scoreless for a period of 2:21 before Roshala Scott got a big steal and scored on a layup to cut TTU's lead to 80-79 with 15 seconds left.

The Redhawks fouled immediately after TTU took a timeout. Abby Buckner went to the line to shoot two and split a pair of free throws as the Golden Eagles remained ahead, 81-79.

With one final shot and time running out, Pruitt stepped back and nailed her game-winning trifecta to give OVC Coach of the Year Rekha Patterson her first OVC Tournament victory. Patterson was 0-4 in OVC Tournament games prior to today.

The Golden Eagle defense trapped the Redhawks into committing four turnovers in 2:35 early in the third quarter. As a result, TTU went on a 13-2 run to take a 47-41 advantage. The Golden Eagles then managed to win the third quarter, 26-16.

TTU led, 67-57, with 7:49 left to play in regulation when SEMO put together a 12-2 run to tie the game.

Carrie Shephard converted a big 3-point play to pull the Redhawks within two and Jocelyn Taylor scored on a pair of huge second-chance layups, including the one that tied the game at 69-69 with 4:19 in the fourth quarter.

After that, SEMO missed four-straight field goals and went scoreless for over two minutes. TTU was able to build a four-point cushion following a jumper by Mackenzie Coleman and layup by Jordan Brock.

The Redhawks, however, continued to chip away at TTU's lead and tied the game again when Thompson and Scott hit layups to knot the score at 73-73 with 32 seconds on the clock.

Coming out of a timeout, Coleman launched a 3-pointer that came off the rim and TTU later turned the ball over after grabbing the offensive rebound.

SEMO had one final possession in regulation, but Thompson missed a jumper as time expired sending the game to overtime.

The Redhawks trailed, 37-34, at the half. Thompson scored 15 of her points in the opening stanza.

Thompson, a First-Team All-OVC selection, shot 12-of-30 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line. She also dished out six assists and collected two steals.

Taylor followed with 13 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Pruitt finished with nine points, including six from downtown.

SEMO and TTU exchanged leads 14 times and there were 12 ties in the game, as well.

Coleman led TTU with 28 points on 10-of-18 field goals. Additionally, the Golden Eagles buried 10 three-pointers.

SEMO beat TTU for the third time this season. Today's one-point victory came after the Redhawks beat the Golden Eagles by double figures twice during the regular-season.

The Redhawks advance to the OVC Tournament semifinals to face #2 Belmont on Thursday at 3 p.m., CT. Belmont beat SEMO in the OVC Tournament a year ago.