The Eastern women’s basketball team was in survival mode in the final four minutes of Monday’s game against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, holding onto a lead and winning 73-70.

Eastern led 66-56 with four minutes remaining in the game, but gradually let Edwardsville back into the game by not finishing strong.

“It should have never got to that,” Eastern head coach Brady Sallee said.

Sallee said the message to his team after the game wasn’t to celebrate the win, but to reiterate to them how important it is to finish games – to put the game away, rather than hold on for dear life.

“I talked to them about it that win or lose you have to do things the right way,” Sallee said.

Eastern’s lead was just big enough to hold on for its second conference win after Edwardsville got to within one point with seven seconds to go in the game.

At the end of the game, the Panthers held on with clutch free throws via junior guard Ta’Kenya Nixon and junior forward Mariah King.

“Boy, we needed every one (free throw),” Sallee said.

Nixon sank two free throws late in the game, which accounted for two of her four second-half points. The Edwardsville defense held Nixon in check all game.

Sallee said Edwardsville has always double-teamed Nixon.

“Its same old, same old with them,” Sallee said. “They make someone else beat them.”

For the Panthers, King and junior forward Sydney Mitchell stepped up and took control. Mitchell led all scorers with 24 points.

“She was tough,” Sallee said. “She was a warrior tonight.”

Mitchell scored 17 of her 24 points in the first half. King was the player who had the big second half, scoring 14 of her 16 points.

Sallee said Mitchell bounced back from the team’s previous game against Xavier, when she only had four points.

Sallee said he didn’t say anything to Mitchell about the Xavier game, but said that may have been a good thing.

“Sometimes when you don’t say anything that may be the best medicine,” Sallee said. “I trusted she knew we needed more out of her. I was not going to belabor the point.”

Monday’s game was the first official conference match-up between Eastern and Edwardsville, as this is the first season Edwardsville is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.

Eastern has played Edwardsville before, just not in games, which counted in its conference record. Sallee said they have a good program.

“Not too many teams are going to come in (to Edwardsville’s arena) and win,” Sallee said.

The Panthers did, though, and improve their conference record to 2-0.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected].