For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

Gardner is lucky No. 13 to 1,000 points in Red Devils' victory

Boxscore attached

EUREKA — Brittany Gardner (Mooresville, Ind./HS) scored 22 second half points, including the 1,000th of her career, as Eureka College defeated MacMurray College 65-59 Wednesday night.  At 5-3, the senior guard becomes the shortest of the now 13-member 1,000 point club at Eureka.  She reached the mark with 11:01 remaining in the game as she drove into the lane and made a jumper while being fouled.

The Red Devils (6-15, 5-8 SLIAC), who led by as many as 11 and did not trail after the seven minute mark of the first half, still had to fend off a late rally in order to stop MacMurray (2-17, 1-12) from spoiling the fun.

Eureka's Nicole Fisher (Canton, Ill./HS) grabbed her own miss and put it back in to give the Red Devils a seemingly comfortable 58-48 advantage with 3:27 to play, but the Highlanders scored the next six points to pull within four with just over one minute remaining.

MacMurray got the ball back still only down four, but Abby Lowe, who leads the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in scoring, missed two free throws with 48 seconds on the clock.  After the second miss, Fisher hit Nicole Ropp (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest) with a long pass for a fast break lay up that made the score 60-54.  But the Highlanders still refused to go away as they scored on their next possession, and after Gardner made one free throw, Rene' Evans sliced the deficit to two (61-59) on a three-pointer with 26 seconds left.

Facing a full court press, it was Ropp again that provided EC some breathing room as she took a long pass from Gardner and converted it into a three-point play giving Eureka a five-point cushion.  Lowe misfired from long range for MacMurray and Fisher added one more tally to set the final at 65-59.

There were five lead changes in the opening frame as the Red Devils displayed a streaky offense, going on scoring runs of 10-0 and 9-0 before settling on a 26-22 lead at intermission.  EC began the second half with a 13-6 spurt to take its largest lead of the contest at 39-28.

Fisher just missed setting two school rebounding records on the same night.  She came into the game needing five to break the Eureka single season rebounding record, and easily surpassed the mark of 256 set by Danielle Funderburk in the 1998-99 season with 21 boards for the game.  Fisher got within one of her own single game record of 22 rebounds set earlier this season.  She now has 829 rebounds in her career, which is 61 away from the EC all-time record.

Gardner made 6-of-9 field goal attempts and 9-of-13 free throws during the second half of play after being held to two first half points.  She finished with game-highs of 24 points and five assists.  Ropp also had a big second half with 11 of her career-high 16 points coming after halftime.  Fisher chipped in 11 points. Sarah Holdenrid (Medota, Ill./HS) recorded six points and six boards, helping the Red Devils lead 17-8 in second chance points, while out-rebounding MacMurray 48-30.  EC shot 38 percent (21-for-55) as a team.

Lowe was hawked most of the night by EC defenders, but still led three Highlanders in double figures with 19.  She was 8-for-29 from the floor and 2-of-12 from three-point territory.  Rachel Rogers and Evans added 14 and 12 respectively.  MacMurray shot 34 percent (21-for-62) for the game.

The Red Devils will close out "Think Pink" week for breast cancer awareness with another home game Saturday, February 16 against Westminster College.  The women's game will be the second game of the SLIAC doubleheader set for a 3:00 pm tip-off.  The men's contest will begin at 1:00 pm.  It will be a key game for EC after having lost to the Blue Jays 62-52 on Jan. 12.

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For More Information Contact:

Brian Sullivan
Sports Information Director
Eureka College
300 E. College Avenue
Eureka, Illinois 61530
309-467-6456
bsullivan@eureka.edu