CINCINNATI – After overcoming a 19-point first-half deficit, the Xavier women’s basketball team could not pull off the upset falling 60-54 to visiting Eastern Illinois Wednesday night at Cintas Center. Junior Amber Gray scored a team-high 13 points for the Musketeers.
Eastern Illinois improves to 10-4 overall for the season while Xavier falls to 3-10 on the year.
Also for the Musketeers, junior Jessica Pachko grabbed a team-high nine rebounds to go with seven points while senior Tyeasha Moss added nine points and three assists. Freshman Lakeisha Crouch earned her first career start in only her second game, chipping in a career-high seven points and grabbed seven rebounds.
The Musketeers won the battle of the boards, 38-31, and were a perfect 8-for-8 from the line on the night. EIU posted a 42.9 shooting percentage to XU’s 40.0 percent.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by sophomore Shatyra Hawkes pulled the Musketeers to within three, 44-41, with 13:14 remaining in the contest. After a jumper by Gray, senior Sabrina Johnson’s layup put XU ahead, 45-44, with just over nine minutes to play. The Lead would be short lived and Eastern Illinois never relinquished the advantage, claiming the six-point victory.
Xavier trailed by as many as 19 (28-9) in the first half before rallying to cut the deficit to eight, 32-24, at the 1:19 mark. EIU’s Mariah King pushed the Panthers’ lead back to 10 on two free throws to end the first frame.
The Panthers were led by Ta’Kenya Nixon with 17 points, one of four EIU players in double-figures scoring. King posted the game’s only double-double with 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The Musketeers return to action on Saturday, Jan. 7, as they open Atlantic 10 Conference play against Charlotte at home. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at Cintas Center.
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