The Eastern women’s basketball team got the start it was looking for on Friday with an 81-72 exhibition win over RTU Klondaika. The team from Latvia led throughout the first half, but was out-scored 51-38 in the second half.

“I think once we got our first-game jitters out we were OK,” Panther head coach Linda Wunder said. “We did a much better job of taking care of the basketball in the second half.”

The Panthers had 17 turnovers in the game and only seven in the second half. Eastern led by as many as 11 after the locker room respite.

Juniors Brooke Gossett and Kayla Bloemer dominated in the post with a pair of double-doubles. Gossett had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Bloemer had 13 points and 11 boards.

Wunder said earlier in the week that the game would be a chance for her to see the abilities of her players in game atmosphere, instead of scrimmages in practice.

And so far, there’s plenty of promise for the young squad.

Eastern has only one senior, guard Michelle Lewis, who was 2-for-5 from the field with 6 points.

Sophomore Allison Collins made her first start in Division I and impressed Wunder adding 14 points. Sophomore Pam O’Connor, a second team OVC preseason pick, had a team-high 15 points.

While Wunder said there were plenty of positives to take away from the win, the Panthers still have plenty of work to do before their first regular season game on Nov. 16 in Lantz Arena against IUPU-Indianapolis. Wunder said she hoped to rely on the play of guards Lewis, freshman Ashley Kearney and sophomore Lauren Dailey.

“Defensively we did some good things,” Wunder said. “But we want to work on that more – we can’t stop there. Our guards need to get working a little more on the court and they will.”

Eastern will play host to the Reebok All-Stars on Nov. 11 in its last exhibition game.

“At this point it’s all about being ready for Game 1,” Wunder said.

“That’s why we play these games.”