Loyola-Chicago Downs EIU Women

CHARLESTON, Ill. – For the second time this season at home Eastern Illinois pushed an opponent to overtime.  Unlike the season opener where EIU had the big overtime run, on Tuesday night Loyola-Chicago outscored the Panthers 18-7 to pick up a 86-75 win in Lantz Arena.
 
Eastern Illinois built a three point lead twice in the final 1:15 of regulation.  Grace Lennox 3-point play with 1:15 put the Panthers up 66-63.  Taylor Manuel answered in the paint for Loyola before EIU went back up by three points with 44 seconds remaining on a jumper by Erica Brown.  Both teams traded turnovers with the Ramblers coming up the ball with 20 seconds remaining.  Sam Lambrigsten missed a 3-point attempt with five seconds remaining but was fouled on the shot and sank all three free throws to send the game to overtime at 68-68.
 
In overtime Shakita Cox put the Panthers up two with 3:06 to play.  Lambrigsten then tied the game at the line as Loyola went on a 10-3 run to put the game out of reach.  Manuel had four of her 28 points in the run while Dakota Vann drained a 3-pointer to keep the momentum going for the Ramblers.  Loyola shot 71 percent in overtime including 7-of-10 from the free throw line.  Lambrigsten was 8-of-9 from the stripe with 13 points while Manuel was 8-of-10 at the line to help Loyola improve to 1-1 on the season.
 
EIU led 14-12 after the first period before Loyola scored 14 points off second quarter turnovers to take a 33-25 lead to half.
 
Early in the third period Loyola extended the margin to 11 points on three occasions with Manuel’s jumper at 6:04 giving Loyola a 43-32 lead.
 
Jalisha Smith provided a spark for the Panthers (1-2) late in the third quarter as she had six points in the final 3:17 to pull the Panthers even with a jumper with 1:02 to go in the 3rd period.  Smith sank a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left in the period that gave EIU a 50-48 lead capping a 20 to 5 run.  Smith finished with 11 points off the bench, one of four EIU players in double figures.  EIU was led by Cox with 18 points with Alece Shumpert adding 15.  Brown posted a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds.
 
The teams traded the lead seven times and had four ties in the final period before Lambrigsten forced overtiime.  Grace Goodhart (12 pts), Vann (10 pts) and Taylor Johnson (13 pts) all finished in double figures for Loyola.
 
The Panthers return to action on Thursday night at Indiana State with a 6 p.m. (Central) tip.