Despite Eastern suiting up just seven healthy players for last Thursday’s women’s basketball game against Tennessee State, it was the Lady Tigers, not the Panthers, who walked out of the Gentry Center feeling blue after Eastern’s 73-65 victory.

With a one-point loss to Southeast Missouri on Tuesday still fresh in their minds and in transit to Nashville for the game with Tennessee State, four players and head coach Linda Wunder came down with the flu. Guards Lauren Dailey and Megan Sparks did not play while Sarah Riva and Melanie Ploger were limited to four and 13 minutes respectively.

With four Panthers unable to play at their normal levels, two unheralded underclassmen were thrust into the starting lineup and made the most of the rare chance. Freshman guard Meggie Eck and sophomore center Janelle Cazy both made their first collegiate starts and combined to shoot eight of nine from the field and score 21 points.

Eck started the game by nailing a three-point field goal. Cazy made a basket and then Eck hit a jump shot to give the Panthers an early 7-0 lead. Cazy converted two of her five free-throws as Eastern opened a 24-9 advantage 10 minutes into the game.

The Panthers connected on all four of their first half three-point attempts and shot 66.7 percent from the field to build a 42-21 lead heading into the half.

At the start of the second half, Eck hit her second three-point field goal to give the Panthers their biggest lead of the game at 24. But Eck’s “trey” didn’t bury the Lady Tigers, it only ignited them.

Tennessee State came out reenergized after the shot outscoring Eastern 19-2 to move within striking distance of Eastern. Lady Tigers senior guard Kisha Stewart led the charge hitting five of her career-high eight three-pointers in the seven minute stretch cutting the lead to four at 58-54.

With the victory seemingly in doubt, the Panthers turned to a pair of veterans to swing the tide back to the visitors. Junior Pam O’Connor hit two of her game-high seven free-throws and senior Katie Meyers hit three of four foul shots to push the Panther’s lead back to double-digits and end any thoughts of the Tigers picking up their first Ohio Valley Conference win.

The Panthers (7-16, 4-8 in the OVC) had four players score in double figures led by O’Connor’s 19 and Meyers’ 13. Cazy chipped in with 13 points in just 18 minutes and Megan Casad had 11 points along with a game-high six assists. Eastern shot over 50 percent (63.2) for the third straight game.

Stewart led the Lady Tigers (1-20, 0-11) with 28 points on 10 of 23 from the field.

Eastern will next be in action on Thursday for its final homestand of the season as they meet Morehead State and then Eastern Kentucky on Saturday.