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For Immediate ReleaseWomen's Basketball -- Dec. 3, 2011
Principia Stops Eureka Women's Basketball, 68-58
EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka College women’s basketball team saw its season-opening four-game winning streak come to an end Saturday afternoon, as visiting Principia rallied to overcome a late deficit and eventually pulled away for a 68-58 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win against the Red Devils at the Reagan Center.
The Red Devils (4-1, 1-1 SLIAC) came out of the gate strong, putting together a 20-11 advantage less than six minutes into the contest behind three 3-point baskets from senior guard Sara Hamilton (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S./Illinois Central). The Red Devils kept the lead until the closing moments of the first half, as Principia’s (3-4, 2-0 SLIAC) Shannon Briggs knocked down a 3-point basket for a 32-30 advantage with 1:03 remaining before intermission. The basket was a part of a 10-0 run by the visitors to close the first half with a 35-30 lead.
Principia’s lead swelled to 12 points midway through the second half when Briggs made a pair of free throws for a 49-37 lead with 12:08 to play. Eureka answered with a flurry, rattling off a 13-0 run over the next 5-minutes, 16-seconds to regain a 50-49 lead. Eureka freshman guard Jenna Brooks (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) ignited the rally with five consecutive points, and sophomore guard Caty Eeten (Eureka, Ill./Eureka H.S.) secured the 50-49 lead for the Red Devils with a 3-point play with 6:52 remaining.
The two squads went on to trade the lead three more times, and Sarah Corbitt’s trey with 2:49 left in regulation broke the fourth tie of the day and gave the Panthers the lead for good, 59-56. Eureka missed eight of its final nine field goal attempts and also missed four foul shots in the final three minutes, allowing Principia to close the game on a 14-2 run and win its second consecutive SLIAC game to open the season.
Eeten scored a game-high 23 points for the Red Devils, while Brooks and Hamilton chipped in with 11 points apiece. Senior forward Khassandre Brown (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria H.S./Kankakee) added 11 boards. Eureka compiled 13 steals as a team and forced 26 Principia turnovers.
Corbitt scored 21 points and collected 10 rebounds for the Panthers. Lindsay Sydness was also strong for the visitors, scoring 18 points and grabbing 15 rebounds before fouling out of the game with 2:31 to play. Principia shot 47 percent (7-for-15) from 3-point range for the day.
Eureka will resume non-conference play Wednesday at Lincoln Christian at 5 p.m. Eureka has swept the home-and-home season series from the Red Lions each of the last five seasons.
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For More Information Contact:
Bryan Moore
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