The Eastern women’s basketball team beat Eastern Kentucky by 21 points Saturday, 78-57, as it improves its winning streak to five games.

Sophomore forward Sydney Mitchell led the way with her first career double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

“She’s a tough kid day in and day out,” head coach Brady Sallee said. “Tonight, she was even tougher.”

Mitchell was 4-of-8 from the field, including making two three-pointers. Mitchell was sent to the free throw line three times, making all three shots.

Sallee said Mitchell was doing a good job of looking for her shot throughout the game. He said he was impressed by the way she was competing on the boards.

The Panthers had a huge night from the free throw line, going 18-of-22 from the stripe while Eastern Kentucky only attempted six free throws.

Sallee said the way the team finished the game shooting so many free throws was an improvement it made at half time. The Panthers had only shot six free throws.

At half time, the Panthers led 34-25, but Sallee said the team knew it did not want to settle for that.

Sallee said the Panthers talked in the locker room at half time about how they did not want to be OK with just out-rebounding them. He said the team also wanted to improve how it got to the free throw line.

Sallee said the Panthers were getting the shots that they wanted throughout the game, and it showed in the second half as the team shot 56 percent from the field.

The Panthers improved their first half shooting of 41 percent from the field to 56 in the second to end the game shooting 48 percent from the field.

Five Panthers scored in double figures to lead the attack. The only starter who did not score 10 or more points was junior forward Chantelle Pressley.

Freshman guard Jordyne Crunk came into the game off of the bench to play 25 minutes and score a career-high 17 points, which was second on the team in the game.

Sophomore forward Mariah King led the team with 18 points, while sophomore guards Ta’Kenya Nixon and Kelsey Wyss scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.

The Panthers’ defense shut down Eastern Kentucky’s starting five, as only one player could score in double figures. Marie Carpenter scored 18 points, but had to take 16 shots to get there.

The Panthers improve their record to 14-11 overall, and 9-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers’ next game is 7 p.m. Thursday in Lantz Arena against Tennessee-Martin.

Alex McNamee can be reached at 581-7944 or admcnamee@eiu.edu

Sydney Mitchell, a sophomore forward, pushes past the SEMO defense to make a shot Feb. 5 in Lantz Arena. (Danny Damiani

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