Women’s basketball team struggles offensively in loss

Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief

The Eastern women’s basketball team went on the road and faced Tennessee-Martin and the top scorer in the nation, Chelsey Perry, Thursday evening.

Despite being the first team this season to hold Perry under 20 points in a game, the Panther offense struggled mightily against the Skyhawks, losing 70-50.

With the loss, the Panthers fell to 5-6 in OVC play this season. Tennessee-Martin improved to a conference-leading 8-1 in conference play and is on a seven-game winning streak.

The Panthers scored just 18 points in the first half, six in the first quarter, while committing 16 turnovers, and despite a solid third quarter, were never able to fully get back in the game.

Tennessee-Martin struggled in the first quarter as well, scoring just nine points. But they fared better in the second quarter, outscoring Eastern 23-12.

The third quarter was the most productive quarter of the game for the Panthers. They scored 21 points and surrendered 17. Eastern also drastically limited its turnovers, only committing one turnover in the third.

The Panthers were able to cut the Skyhawks’ lead to single digits early in the fourth quarter, but soon went stagnant.

Tennessee-Martin outscored Eastern 21-11 in the final quarter to wrap up a 20-point win.

As mentioned, Eastern managed to limit Perry’s effect. She was averaging 28 points per game coming in, but was held to 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting and 4-of-10 from three-point range.

Eastern forward Abby Wahl, who entered the game ranked fifth in the conference in both points and rebounds per game, outplayed Perry. Wahl scored 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 2-of-3 from three. She also had 7 rebounds to Perry’s 6.

No other Eastern player scored in double figures, with the team’s second-leading scorer Karle Pace missing the game with an injury.

Eastern plays next against Southeast Missouri Saturday at 2 p.m.

 

Adam Tumino can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].