Ohio Valley Conference

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Trailing by 15 points in the third quarter, things looked grim for the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team on Saturday.

But the Golden Eagles persevered with a tremendous performance from freshman LaReesha Cawthorn as she powered Tech back with 27 points and 27 rebounds – both career-highs – as the home team worked their way back to force overtime then claim the 75-70 victory.

Cawthorn's 27 rebounds tied Pam Cassity for the fourth-most in a single game in Tech history and is the most by a Golden Eagle player since the 1975-76 campaign. Cassity held eight of the top 10 performances – all in the 1975-76 season. It's the most in Ohio Valley Conference play since Southeast Missouri's Lachelle Lyles pulled down 32 against Tennessee State on Dec. 7, 2006.

Cawthorn ended the game hitting 11 of her 25 shots, including 5-for-8 at the line. She also had an assist, two steals and four blocks in the victory. The double-double is her seventh of her rookie campaign and the second this week, following a 15-point, 14-rebound performance on Thursday against Western Illinois.

She had 17 points and 13 boards in the second half alone.

In all, four Golden Eagles scored in double figures. Reghan Grimes also recorded a double-double – her career seventh and fourth this season – with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while she also had three assists, two steals and a block. Reagan Hurst also had 13 points with a trio of 3-pointers with a rebound and a steal.

Eastern Illinois (4-21, 3-11 OVC) had four players in double-digit scoring as Tiny Lewis scored 17 points with five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Ella Lune and Nyah Hardy scored 14 and Clara Glad 10 as the Panthers only had seven players available due to compiling injuries.

While the Panthers were short-handed, they certainly didn't play like it as Eastern outscored Tech 24-10 in the second and 24-17 in the third to build a 15-point lead at its peak.

In the fourth quarter alone, Tech was able to score 13 points on nine Panther turnovers, shutting down their offense as EIU hit just three buckets in the quarter. The Golden Eagles used a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to one – 62-61 – with 3:02 remaining.

Cawthorn grabbed a steal and made a jumper with 1:07 left to put Tech briefly up 65-64, then Hardy drained a 3-pointer on the other end with 51 seconds remaining in regulation to reclaim a 67-65 advantage.

After Lune was fouled with 26 seconds on the clock, she missed both free throws with Cawthorn pulling down the carom. On the Golden Eagle end, she worked her way into the paint and hit a layup to tie the game with 19 seconds remaining. EIU had one last shot as Meioshe Mason missed a jumper with three seconds on the clock, sending the game to overtime.

The Panthers scored the first three points of the overtime session, but that proved to be it for EIU as it did not score in the final 2:51 of the extra time.

Cawthorn hit the front end of a pair of free throws to make it 70-68 Eastern, then tied the game at 1:42 with a second-chance layup. She game Tech a 71-70 lead at 1:21 as she hit the first of two charity tosses, then Grimes had Tech up by three with a second-chance layup at 1:05.

Larry scored the final two points with eight seconds left in overtime, hitting a pair of free throws.

Tech improves to 13-10 overall, 6-8 in the Ohio Valley.

TENNESSEE STATE 87, WESTERN ILLINOIS 77
NASHVILLE - Aaniya Webb poured in a game-high 24 points as the Tennessee State women's basketball team knocked off Western Illinois, 87–77, Saturday afternoon at the Gentry Center.

The Lady Tigers (4-19, 3-11 OVC) placed four players in double figures, led by Webb, who added six rebounds and knocked down five three-pointers. Somah Kamara provided a big spark off the bench with 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Kiki Roberts delivered an all-around performance with 15 points, a team-high seven rebounds, and five assists. Xai Whitfield also finished in double figures with 11 points.

Tennessee State was efficient from long range, connecting on nine of its 19 attempts from beyond the arc. Webb led the way, hitting five triples, while Genesis Harris and Kamara each added one from deep.

How It Happened
After falling behind 4–2 early, Tennessee State answered with a 6–0 run capped by a Webb three-pointer to take an 8–4 lead. Western Illinois countered, and the game was tied 20–20 at the end of the opening quarter. The Lady Tigers leaned on their perimeter shooting in the first, draining four threes.

Western Illinois briefly pulled ahead in the second quarter before Tennessee State responded with a 5–0 spurt, highlighted by a basket from Roberts, to regain the lead. The Lady Tigers carried a 36–34 advantage into halftime, scoring 10 of their 16 second-quarter points in the paint.

Coming out of the break, Tennessee State seized momentum. After Western Illinois took a one-point lead, the Lady Tigers erupted on an 8–0 run to go up 44–37. Tennessee State poured in 28 points in the third quarter, shooting over 60 percent from the field and knocking down four three-pointers to build a 64–51 cushion heading into the final period.

The Lady Tigers maintained control in the fourth, scoring 12 of their 23 points in the paint and converting at the free-throw line to seal the win.

UT MARTIN 64, MOREHEAD STATE 58
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin women's basketball team ended Morehead State's six-game win streak with a 64-58 victory over the Eagles Saturday at the Kathleen & Tom Elam Center. Not only had Morehead State won its last six in a row, but it came to the Elam Center as the OVC's hottest team, winning 11 of its last 12 games.

UT Martin led by just one, 14-13, at the end of the first, but ended the second quarter on 9-1 run to take a five-point lead, 31-26, into the locker room at halftime. In the third quarter, the Skyhawks pushed the lead out to as many as eight, but the Eagles kept it close and trailed by just one possession at several points in the quarter.

Heading into the fourth quarter with a 55-40 lead, the two teams matched each other point-for-point with Morehead State trailing by only three with 48 seconds to play. However, a pull-up jumper from Sidni Middleton and a free throw from Cam Ward in the final 20 second of the contest was enough to put the Eagles away, after not allowing a Morehead State Field Goal for the last 3:42 of the game.
With the win, the Skyhawks moved to 13-10 overall and 9-5 in OVC play, just one game out second-place where Lindenwood, Southern Indiana and Morehead State are all currently tied.

UT Martin held the Eagles under their season in averages in two major categories in the game. Morehead State entered the contest shooting 41.1-percent from the field and averaging 33.4 rebounds per game. On Saturday, the Skyhawks held the Eagles to 38.0-percent shooting, while shooting 52.1-percent themselves, and limited them to just 26 rebounds.

The trio of Kenley McCarn, Brittani Wells and Zy Thomspon combined for 50 of UT Martin's 64 points in the game. McCarn led UT Martin with 20 points, including four 3-pointers, while Wells had 17 with five 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Zy Thompson finished the game with 13 points, four-rebounds and a career-best five steals. On the boards, Cam Ward led the way with a career-high seven, to go along with five points, an assist and a steal.

LITTLE ROCK 73, SIUE 64
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Little Rock used a strong fourth quarter and dominance inside to pull away from SIUE, 73–64, Saturday afternoon at the Jack Stephens Center. The Trojans improved to 12-12 overall and 8-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play after breaking a fourth-quarter tie and controlling the game down the stretch.

Little Rock finished with a 34–point advantage in the paint and won the rebounding battle, 44–37, including 12 offensive boards that led to key second-chance opportunities. The Trojans also converted 12 points off turnovers, matching SIUE's 11 giveaways with efficient execution on the offensive end.

"We're playing hard and we're playing together," head coach Steve Wiedower said. "When we defend and rebound the way we did today, it gives us a chance to win. I thought our effort in the fourth quarter was exactly what we needed."

After leading 18–14 at the end of the first quarter, Little Rock built momentum midway through the second with a 7–0 run capped by a Jordan Holman three-pointer. The Trojans maintained defensive pressure and went into halftime locked in a tight contest.

Little Rock carried a slim edge into the fourth quarter before taking control with timely free throws, interior scoring, and strong rebounding. Holman knocked down a pair of free throws midway through the period to push the lead to double digits, and Mya Cotto added back-to-back layups to keep SIUE at bay. Brenna Burk sealed the win at the line as the Trojans closed out the final minutes.

Holman led the way with a dominant performance, finishing with 22 points and 14 rebounds to record a double-double while adding two three-pointers.

"I was mad from the game Thursday," Holman said. "That loss motivated me to play well [against SIUE].

Burk added 19 points, going 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, while Pearson McVay chipped in 10 points on 50 percent shooting. Cotto and Alaina Payne helped set the tone defensively and facilitated the offense throughout the afternoon.

SOUTHERN INDIANA 90, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 57
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.  - University of Southern Indiana Women's Basketball secured its spot in the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Championship Tournament on Saturday afternoon after the Screaming Eagles grabbed a 90-57, wire-to-wire road victory at Southeast Missouri State University.
 
Following Thursday's road setback at the University of Tennessee at Martin, USI Women's Basketball (16-7, 10-4 OVC) responded convincingly on Saturday at Southeast Missouri (8-15, 4-10 OVC) to close out the road trip. In clinching a postseason berth on Saturday, USI will be making a third consecutive appearance in the OVC Tournament in March.
 
Additionally, the Screaming Eagles moved back up into a tie for second place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings and a game back of first following Saturday's road triumph and other results around the OVC.
 
On Saturday, USI shot a season-best 53 percent (32-60) overall and a season-best 58 percent (11-19) from three-point range. The 11 made threes are a season high for the Eagles. USI went 15-20 for 75 percent at the free-throw stripe. USI outrebounded Southeast Missouri, 37-22, and scored 28 points off 25 SEMO turnovers.
 
11 Screaming Eagles scored on Saturday, with three Eagles tallying double digits. Senior guard Ali Saunders dropped a team-high 19 points on 6-11 shooting with three treys and dished out five assists. Junior forward Chloe Gannon recorded 16 points with six boards. Fellow junior forward Amiyah Buchanan posted her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds against her former program.
 
Southeast Missouri finished the game shooting 40 percent (21-53) from the floor, under 23 percent (7-31) from beyond the arc, and 57 percent (8-14) from the foul line. Two Redhawks scored in double figures.
 
Following a 4-4 start to the game, USI broke open a double-digit lead with an 11-0 run in the middle of the first quarter. The inside presence of Gannon and Buchanan got the Screaming Eagles rolling before junior guard Shannon Blacher knocked down a corner three. The Eagles' aggressive attack and stifling defense early led to a 25-9 lead for USI through the first 10 minutes.
 
The Screaming Eagles increased their lead to over 20 in the first minute of the second quarter. During the middle of the second, active defenses created problems for both teams, leading to a cold stretch. After four-plus minutes scoreless, Buchanan got USI back on track to snap the drought. In the final minute of the first half, a bucket by Buchanan plus a last-second three by Saunders extended USI's lead to 42-16 going into the half.
 
USI started the second half with six straight points to push its lead over 30. Gannon had four of the first six second-half points for the Eagles. The two teams had a back-and-forth stretch in the middle of the third period, as USI led 51-21 at the midway point of the third. Following a scoreless two minutes late in the frame, Buchanan knocked down a jumper to build on a strong afternoon. The Screaming Eagles carried a 58-31 advantage to the fourth quarter.
 
However, Southeast Missouri began the fourth quarter on fire, scoring eight unanswered points to cut the difference down to 19 before Saunders ended the run with a three-pointer to get USI on the board in the fourth. At the 4:40 mark of the fourth quarter, redshirt sophomore guard Kylee Dennis swished in a three to cap off an 11-0 run for the Screaming Eagles to push the lead back up to above 30, as USI went on to seal the big road win.