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MOREHEAD, Ky. – Morehead State faced a 20-point deficit with 9:00 remaining in the third quarter, but fought back and finished the game on a 51-23 run to win its Ohio Valley Conference home opener over Eastern Illinois, 89-81.

The Eagles started the game on fire by connecting on 10-of-10 field goals in the painted area, holding a 26-22 lead after one quarter.

A cold second period saw the Eagles go 5-of-17 (.294) from the floor, while Eastern Illinois shot 10-for-14 (.714). The Panthers knocked down 7-of-10 attempts from three-point range, pulling away with a 52-36 advantage at halftime.

The third quarter, however, saw Morehead State explode for a 14-0 run over a span of more than four minutes. The quarter was capped off by Eriel McKee banking in a put-back layup at the buzzer, bringing the score to 66-65.

Miranda Crockett would hit the first shot of the final period to give the Eagles the lead for the remainder of the contest.

"Fortunately, we have a lot of resilient young ladies that play hard and compete," said head coach Greg Todd after the win.

Redshirt senior Erin Blaine led MSU in scoring with 19 points.

Blaine was seconded by Crockett and Darianne Seward, who dropped 15 apiece. Seward also recorded nine assists and three steals, while Crockett logged five boards and two steals.

Tierra McGowan, a 6-foot-3 junior, recorded her eighth double-double of the 2017-18 season with 14 points and 15 rebounds, in addition to four blocks. Senior forward Eriel McKee added 13 points, four assists, three steals, and two blocks in a team-high 36 minutes.

Redshirt junior Dominque St. Louis gave Morehead State a huge boost off the bench, scoring a career-high 11.

The victory improved the Eagles' record to 11-5 (2-1 OVC).

Morehead State will battle at Johnson Arena again on Saturday, taking on SIU Edwardsville (6-8, 3-0 OVC). Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, broadcast live on the OVC Digital Network.