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For Immediate Release
Women's Basketball -- Feb. 14, 2011
Eureka Tops Principia For Second Straight Road Win, 77-68
ELSAH, Ill. – Eureka College junior guard Sara Hamilton (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S./Illinois Central) scored 20 points to lead a group of four Eureka starters to score in double-figures, helping the Red Devils to their first conference road victory in more than a year in Eureka’s 77-68 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win over Principia, Saturday afternoon in Elsah, Ill.
The Red Devils (7-13, 3-9 SLIAC) and Panthers (5-16, 1-12 SLIAC) traded the lead six times in the first eight minutes of the game before Eureka junior forward Khassandrae Brown (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria H.S./Kankakee) made two foul shots with 10:34 remaining to break a 13-13 tie. Eureka wouldn’t trail again during the afternoon and led by as many as 11 points (38-27) on Hamilton’s interior bucket in the final minute of the half. Brown led EC with 11 points in the first half and was a perfect 7-for-7 from the foul line.
Principia quickly cut its deficit to five, 42-37, with 16:53 left in the contest. Eureka freshman Caty Eeten (Eureka, Ill./Eureka H.S.) answered with a 3-point play on the ensuing Eureka possession, igniting a 9-3 EC run over the next 2-minutes, 28-seconds to push the lead back to 11 points (51-40).
The Panthers kept a manageable deficit throughout the second half and eventually pulled within a single possession, 62-60, on Sarah Corbitt’s basket with 5:47 left in regulation. Eureka received four points from Hamilton on its next two possessions and the Eureka lead wouldn’t dip below five points again. Hamilton’s 3-pointer with 2:01 remaining gave the Red Devils an 11-point lead and put the game away.
Brown scored 17 points and Eeten chipped in with 14 points. Junior forward Lisa Byard (Morton, Ill./Morton H.S.) was the fourth Eureka starter in double-figures with 12 points. The Red Devils committed a season-low seven turnovers for the game and improved their season record to 4-0 when recording more assists than turnovers.
Saturday’s win was Eureka’ first on the road against a SLIAC opponent since a 72-63 triumph at Principia on Feb. 11, 2010. Coupled with Wednesday’s win at Lincoln Christian, the Red Devils have now won consecutive road contests for the first time since January 2008. The Red Devils have also surpassed last season’s overall and SLIAC win totals.
Principia was led by Lindsay Sydness, who recorded game-highs with 25 points and 12 rebounds. The Panthers have lost five SLIAC games in a row.
Eureka will have one day away from game competition before returning to the Reagan Center Monday to host Greenville at 6 p.m. The contest against the Panthers was originally scheduled to be played Feb. 2, but a winter storm postponed the game to Feb. 14.
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
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