DALLAS – SMU turned 24 Eastern Illinois women's basketball turnovers into 26 points and blew the game open with a 26-8 stretch midway through the first half, defeating the Panthers, 79-52, Tuesday evening at Moody Coliseum.

 

The Panthers (1-3) shot just 33 percent from the field, including 1-of-13 from 3-point land. SMU (4-0), meanwhile, made 10 3-pointers and had 23 assists versus 14 turnovers. The Mustangs also enjoyed a 34-7 advantage in bench scoring.

 

Eastern did keep SMU off the free throw line. One game after Northern Colorado attempted 40 free throws in an EIU win, the Mustangs went to the line only three times and finished 3-of-5. SMU scored all of its 45 first-half points from the field.

Dominique Sims scored a season-high 18 points in her return to her native Texas. She was the only EIU player to connect on a 3-pointer. Maggie Kloak finished with 14 points. Ta'Kenya Nixon had eight points, failing to score in double-figures for the first time this season.

 

Eleven of the Mustangs that saw action scored, four finishing in double-figures. Raquel Christian led the way with 13 points off the bench.

 

SMU led for much of the game after outscoring the Panthers 26-8 over a nine-minute span in the first half. Eastern suffered through a scoring drought of more than four minutes during that span.

 

After playing the Mustangs even for the first four minutes, the home team went on a 14-2 run. Eastern cut its deficit to seven with six unanswered points on field goals by Sims, Pilar Walker and Sydney Mitchell. But SMU responded with a 12-0 surge.

 

The Panthers got no closer than 19 down and trailed by as many as 31 in the second half.

 

Eastern had made multiple 3-pointers in every game since a Jan. 27, 2007 loss at Morehead State. Savannah State was 3-of-4 at the free throw line in an EIU neutral-site victory in Cincinnati last year.

The Panthers continue their busiest stretch of the season Friday with a 6 p.m. (CST) game at IPFW. The stretch of five games in 10 days concludes with Sunday's home opener against Brescia (Ky.).

More Info: Contact Ben Turner, Asst. SID