UT Martin Sinks EIU Women On Last Second Shot

It came down to the final shot Wednesday night as UT Martin was able to sink the game-winning shot with one second left to down EIU 74-72.

Grace Lennox recorded her first career double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds, but it would not be enough as EIU falls to 8-16 and 4-8 in the OVC. With the win UT Martin improves to 5-7 in the conference.

EIU opened the fourth quarter leading 58-50 after a jumper from Brittin Boyer. UTM was able to claw back in front following an 8-0 run capped off by a layup from Emanye Robertson to give the Skyhawks a 70-69 lead with 2:13 left to play.

Zharia Lenoir answered right back with a three-pointer to regain the lead for EIU with 1:12 left in the game. Lenoir was 2-for-4 from three-point range during the game setting a new career high with 18 points. Following Lenoir's trey, UTM's  Kendall Spray was able to tie the game up 72-72 with a layup.

With only three seconds left to play UT Martin was able to inbound the ball on the offensive side of the court. The Panthers swarmed Ashton Feldhaus who looked to take the three-point shot, but Feldhaus found a wide open Janekia Mason underneath the rim for the layup and the 74-72 lead.

EIU was able to get a quick play off with less than a second left, but were unable to convert and send the game into overtime.

The Panthers finished the game shooting 53.7 percent from the floor compared to 42.6 percent for UTM. EIU lost the turnover battle 19-8 resulting in 17 points off turnovers for the Skyhawks.

The Panthers opened Wednesday night's game racing out to an 8-2 lead following a layup from Lennox at the 7:14 mark. EIU pushed their lead to as high as 11 points thanks to a three-pointer from Carmen Tellez to make it 21-10. Tellez finished the first quarter 2-2 from three-point range scoring all six of her points in the opening period.

The Panthers closed out the first quarter on a 12-4 run to lead UT Martin 23-12. Lennox had the final bucket of the period finishing the first quarter with 11 points in the game already.

It was almost the exact opposite period for both teams in the second quarter as the Skyhawks opened the period on an 11-2 run finally halted by a layup from Erica Brown at the &;48 mark to make it 25-21.

UT Martin continued to take it to EIU earning their first lead of the game thanks to a 10-0 run to lead 33-27. After holding UTM to only one three-pointer in the first quarter, the Skyhawks were able to earn the lead behind 4-6 shooting from three-point range.

The Skyhawks closed out the first half leading 35-33 holding Lennox to zero points for the quarter while Myah Taylor netted 13 of her 17 points throughout the second quarter.

The Panthers regained the lead in the opening minutes of the second half going on a 9-1 run with seven points from Lennox to lead 42-36 with 6:24 left in the third period. EIU maintained the lead throughout the quarter leading by as much as eight points with 1:40 left in the period.

Allison Van Dyke finished the game in double-figures nearly earning a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.

UT Martin had four players in double-figures led by Feldhaus with 21 points and seven rebounds.

The Panthers now return to Lantz Arena to face Southeast Missouri Saturday at 3:30 p.m.