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For Immediate Releaseeureka, illinois
February 27, 2008
EC earns dominant 68-33 victory on record setting Senior Night
EUREKA — The Eureka College Red Devils buried Lincoln Christian College 68-33 on a record setting night in the season finale. Eureka senior Nicole Fisher (Canton, Ill./HS) grabbed 22 rebounds to move into first place on the school career list with 892. She passed Jill McGinnis, who hauled in 890 boards from 1991-95. Meanwhile, Kim Downs (Kewanee, Ill./HS) broke the EC single season record for blocked shots with five in the game to finish with 56. She swatted away the former mark of 52 set by Dawn Bradbury during the 1997-98 season.
The three of Eureka's four seniors that played made sure they would go out on a winning note as the triumvirate of Fisher, Brittany Gardner (Mooresville, Ind./HS) and Brandi Payne (Eureka, Ill./HS) combined for 56 of the Red Devils' 68 points. Gardner led all players in the game with 27 points, including 16 after halftime. She connected on seven three-pointers, tying the second highest game total in school history.
Payne recorded 10 points in the first half, and finished just one off her career-high with 14. Fisher chipped in 15, going 5-for-5 at the line. The three seniors also combined for 11 assists, 10 steals and shot a perfect 11-for-11 at the charity stripe.
As the clock ticked down on the playing careers of Eureka's seniors, the only drama left was whether Fisher would break the all-time rebounding mark. Needing a sizeable 21 to break the record, she got half-way to tying the mark with 10 in the opening half, and went on to tie the record with a defensive carom with 2:21 remaining. After four years and 101 games played, the record came down to the final minute of Fisher's career. She grabbed the record setting board off a missed shot by the Angels' Tasha Brown with just 42 seconds to play, and added another one for good measure on the ensuing possession.
The effort ended a torrid finish to the season for Fisher, who amassed 101 rebounds over the final six games of the season for a 16.8 per game average. Her 22 boards tied her own single game record set earlier this season.
Downs recorded her record setting block at the 16:04 mark of the second half as she sent back a jumper by Kim Kersey. The 5-10 junior would go on to reject three more shots on the night to finish with five for the game and 56 for the season. She had a terrific all-around game by adding six assists, four steals, four points and three rebounds.
The Red Devils (7-18) got off to a slow start as Lincoln Christian (2-26) ran out to a 9-4 lead. Eureka eventually took the lead for good with under eight minutes to play in the half as EC held the Angels to only two points over the final 8:47 of the frame. Eureka ended the half on a 20-2 run, and went into the locker room up 32-15.
Lincoln Christian got as close as 38-24 with 14:10 remaining, but could never mount a serious charge. The Red Devils came back with the next six points to push their lead up to 20, and later had an 18-1 outburst that gave them their final margin of 35 points.
Eureka shot 36 percent (24-for-67) from the field and a season-best 93 percent (13-for-14) at the line. The Red Devils also made a season-high seven treys, all dropped in by the same player (Gardner). Lincoln Christian was held to 26 percent (14-for-53). Eureka led in rebounds 42-41. The Red Devils went the final 18 games of the season without being out-rebounded in any of them.
Eureka's team awards will be presented at the annual E-Tribe Winter Sports Banquet to be held in the Terrill Rooms of the Cerf Center on Sunday, March 16 starting at 1:00 pm. The SLIAC will announce its all-conference teams on Saturday.
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
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