Early Battle Fades as Lyon Tops Eureka 89-57

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka women's basketball team battled early before Lyon pulled away, handing the Red Devils an 89-57 loss Saturday afternoon in their second SLIAC contest of the week.

Eureka struck first, as Abigail Martinez opened the scoring with a jumper to give the Red Devils a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes. Eureka came out strong on the defensive end, holding Lyon scoreless for the first 2:40 before the Scots tied the game at the free throw line.

Kayla Collins knocked down a three-pointer to regain the lead for Eureka with 7:01 remaining in the first quarter, but Lyon responded with a 9-0 run to take control. Courtney Hart cut the deficit to three with a layup, but another Lyon run pushed the advantage to 17-8. Collins connected on a second triple, though Lyon continued to pull away and carried a 29-16 lead into the end of the first quarter.

Lyon extended its lead early in the second quarter, but Eureka answered with a pair of free throws from Collins and a jumper by Brooklyn Bowman to make it 33-20. The Scots quickly rebuilt the cushion, stretching the margin to 40-20. Hart provided a steady presence in the post, trimming the deficit to 45-29 with a layup, and Lailah Hadley scored on a floater just before the halftime buzzer to send Eureka into the break trailing 51-35.

Lyon pulled further ahead in the third quarter, outscoring Eureka 22-10 in the period. The Scots dominated the paint and second-chance opportunities, building a 73-45 advantage heading into the final frame.

Hadley opened the fourth quarter with a three to make it 73-48, but Lyon followed with a 16-0 run to build its largest lead of the night. Eureka closed the game on a positive note, finishing on a 9-0 run. Railynn Brown sparked the stretch with a layup, and Collins capped it off with back-to-back baskets as the Red Devils held Lyon scoreless over the final 4:10.

Collins led Eureka with 19 points and three steals. Hart recorded her third consecutive double double and fifth of the season with 12 points and 16 rebounds. Hadley made an impressive debut for the Red Devils, contributing 12 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

UP NEXT

Eureka returns to action on Monday, traveling to Jacksonville to face Illinois College at 5:30 p.m. in its final nonconference matchup of the season.