Maggie Kloak could not be stopped.

The junior forward scored 18 of her 20 points in the first half, including 14 in a five-minute span, to lead the Panthers to a 70-52 victory against Morehead State Saturday in Lantz Arena.

The win, coupled with a victory by Murray State on Saturday, sets up a first-place showdown on Thursday in Murray, Ky., as both teams will enter the game in first place with a 6-1 record in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Kloak and senior forward Rachel Galligan spent the game going against Eagles’ 6-foot-3 junior center Brittany Pittman.

Pittman entered Saturday’s game averaging a double-double with 10.4 points per game and 10 rebounds per game. Additionally, her 114 blocks on the season are 91 more than anyone in the OVC.

However, Kloak and Galligan played aggressively against Pittman throughout the game, getting her into early foul trouble.

She fouled out with nine minutes, 22 seconds remaining with 13 points, six rebounds and only one block for the Eagles (11-9, 5-3 OVC).

“We know that (Pittman) likes to block shots and we’ve played against her for a couple of years so (Eastern head coach Brady Sallee) talked to (Kloak) and I and the game plan was just to take it at her,” said Galligan, who finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. “(Sallee) said just to take it at her and we always want to pound it inside and that’s what we continued to do and when she got in foul trouble we did it some more.”

Red-shirt junior guard Dominique Sims added 11 points and six assists for the Panthers (12-6, 6-1 OVC).

Senior guard Megan Edwards had eight points and six assists.

Edwards connected on her 100th career three-pointer with 1:41 remaining, becoming the seventh player in Eastern history to accomplish that feat.

Edwards said after the game she was unaware she was approaching 100 three-pointers for her career, and was surprised when they announced it.

“It felt good because I’ve been in a shooting slump lately,” Edwards said. “But I’m more worried… that we won.”

Click here for more women’s basketball coverage at the Dennews.com blogspot.

Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.

Women’s Basketball Standings

Team / OVC / Overall

E. Illinois / 6-1 / 12-6

Murray State / 6-1 / 11-6

Tennessee State / 5-2 / 9-9

Morehead State / 5-3 / 11-9

Austin Peay / 4-3 / 8-10

Southeast Missouri / 4-3 / 8-9

E. Kentucky / 3-5 / 6-10

Tennessee Tech / 2-5 / 4-14

Jacksonville State / 1-6 / 4-13

Tennessee Martin / 0-7 / 2-15

Junior forward Maggie Kloak stretches out to grab a tipped pass during Saturday afternoon’s 70-52 victory against Morehead State in Lantz Arena. Kloak finished the game with 20 points and 11 rebounds. (Eric Hiltner/The Daily Eastern News)

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