Women’s Basketball Preview: Eureka Hosts Blackburn in SLIAC Opener Tuesday Night

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka women's basketball team returns home on Tuesday night for its SLIAC opener, hosting Blackburn at 5:30 p.m. as the Red Devils look to break into the win column and gain momentum at the start of conference play.

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LAST TIME OUT:

Eureka wrapped up its weekend at the Hanover Tournament on Saturday afternoon with a 75-46 setback to Wilmington. The Red Devils started strong, grabbing an early 7-4 lead behind buckets from Miracle Armstrong, Railynn Brown and Sierra Garcia-Reisch. Wilmington responded with a 7-0 run to close the first quarter and carried an 11-9 edge into the break.

Brooklyn Bowman tied the game early in the second, but the Quakers seized control from there, using a 22-6 surge to build a 33-17 halftime advantage. Wilmington continued to extend its lead in the third before Eureka mounted a late push, knocking down five fourth-quarter threes to finish with its highest-scoring period of the afternoon.

Armstrong led Eureka with 14 points, three rebounds and five steals, while Garcia-Reisch posted 11 points and seven boards. Brown added nine points with three triples, and Bowman contributed six points and six rebounds.

ABOUT THE RED DEVILS:

Eureka enters Tuesday at 0-5 after a challenging non-conference slate that included nationally ranked UW-Oshkosh and a pair of road tests at Illinois Tech and Hanover. The Red Devils continue to lean on their perimeter-heavy approach, ranking 31st nationally in three-point attempts per game. Garcia-Reisch continues to lead the Red Devils defensively, entering the week 83rd in Division III in steals.

Courtney Hart leads Eureka on the glass at 7.8 rebounds per game, while Garcia-Reisch paces the offense at 11.8 points per contest. The Red Devils will aim to carry their fourth-quarter offensive spark from Saturday into their conference opener.

ABOUT THE BEAVERS:

Blackburn enters at 0-6 coming off a tightly contested 75-70 loss at Beloit in which junior standout Eizaenirys Allende Quinones poured in 21 points. The Beavers bring one of Division III's most high-tempo profiles into Tuesday's matchup. Blackburn ranks 24th nationally in free throw attempts per game and 60th in points scored, while also attempting the 36th-most three-pointers per contest. Their pace comes with struggles as well, as the Beavers sit ninth nationally in points allowed.

Allende Quinones is the centerpiece of Blackburn's attack and one of the top scorers in the country. She enters ranked 18th in Division III in points, averaging 18.5 points per game, and sits among the national leaders in field goals made (12th), steals (28th), and field goal percentage (57th nationally). Cheresse Mitchell adds strength on the glass at 9.3 rebounds per game, ranking 44th in the nation.

Blackburn's most recent outing showcased its offensive firepower, with Kenadee Frey scoring 17 points and Becca Benoit securing 12 rebounds. The Beavers mounted multiple second half runs and nearly completed a late comeback before Beloit held on in the final minute.

LOOKING AHEAD:

Eureka continues its busy opening stretch with an exhibition matchup at Indiana State on Saturday before returning home to host Westminster on December 6.