For the first time in a while a team did not double-team Eastern women’s basketball player Sabina Oroszova – and it cost Austin Peay dearly.

Oroszova scored 24 points on 11-or-18 shooting in 37 minutes of play in Monday’s 65-63 win over Austin Peay.

Eastern women’s basketball coach Debbie Black said the reason Austin Peay did not double Oroszova is because she thought her forwards were playing well the last four or five games.

Oroszova said she simply took advantage of the rare opportunity.

“I played one-on-one with their posts,” she said. “I had height and strength advantages, plus my teammates did a great job finding me and giving me the ball.”

With the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament coming up in about three weeks, the Panthers are currently in the tournament as the seventh seed.

After a loss to Murray State Saturday, the Panthers’ playoff hopes are looking better after a comeback win in Clarksville, Tenn., Monday.

With Morehead State winning on Monday over Jacksonville State, the Panthers would have been on the outside looking in if they had lost on Monday and Oroszova said they knew they had to forget about Saturday as soon as possible.

“After a loss on Saturday, we knew we needed to do much more and work as a team to get that win,” she said. “Even though we had only two days to prepare I think we did a great job sticking to the game plan and listening to instructions from coaches.”

Black said Eastern’s Morgan Palombizio had the game of her life on Monday.

Palombizio scored in double digits for only the third time this season and the first since the Panthers’ win over Loyola back on Nov. 21.

Palombizio shot 3-of-5 from the field, which included 3-of-3 from the 3-point line and scored 11 points on the day. That is the second game in a row that she has made all the 3-point field goals she has attempted.

Eastern guard Katlyn Payne said Palombizio and Oroszova played a big role in their win against Austin Peay.

“We needed them to step up and they did,” Payne said.

At one point in the second half, the Panthers were down 10 and Palombizio fueled the comeback, hitting two of her three 3-point shots late in the second half.

During a timeout while being down 10, Oroszova said Black told the Panthers it was their game.

“She said if we want to win, it is time to leave everything out on the floor,” Oroszova said. “We fought for all 40 minutes and got our desired outcome and a very needed win.”

The Panthers have three conference games left – two on the road against Belmont and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, respectively and a home game against Tennessee-Martin, which currently is atop the OVC.

The Panthers are currently one game ahead of Morehead State, which owns the tie-breaker over them.

Payne said they are going to take it one game at a time, just like they do every game and not look ahead on their schedule and play as a team.

“We are great when we play as a team,” she said. “That is how we will win these next games, as a team.”

Bob Reynolds can be reached at 581-2812 or rjreynolds@eiu.edu