CHARLESTON, Ill. (Interstat) — Tiny Lewis made two free throws with seven seconds remaining Thursday night to lift Eastern Illinois to a 75-74 women’s basketball victory over Tennessee Tech at Lantz Arena. The Panthers, who entered the game 2-13, overcame a 12-point halftime deficit. A dominant 27-point third quarter fueled the comeback. Reghan Grimes led all scorers with 29 points for the Golden Eagles, who fell to 10-3. Eastern Illinois’ Ava Stoller added 15 points. Tennessee Tech missed a final shot attempt as time expired. Eastern Illinois finished with 18 steals and 18 assists, overcoming a significant rebounding disadvantage to secure the narrow Ohio Valley Conference win.

CHARLESTON, Ill. (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of fortune that defied both records and projections, the Eastern Illinois Panthers, who entered the night with just one win, clawed their way to a dramatic 75-74 victory over the Ohio Valley Conference-leading Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in a women’s basketball thriller Thursday at Lantz Arena. The game, witnessed by 360 fans, was decided in the final seconds as Eastern Illinois guard Tiny Lewis sank two pressure-packed free throws with seven seconds remaining to give the Panthers their first lead since the opening minute. Tennessee Tech’s final attempt, a missed jump shot by Cam Mathews and a failed tip-in at the buzzer by Amelia Pfeiffer, sealed a monumental upset. The contest was a tale of two halves, defined by a massive third-quarter surge from the home team. Tennessee Tech, now 10-3 overall, controlled the early action, leveraging a disruptive defense to build a 21-14 lead after one quarter and maintaining a 36-33 advantage at halftime. The Golden Eagles’ star, Reghan Grimes of Nashville, Tennessee, was instrumental early, finishing with a game-high 29 points. Everything changed after the break. Eastern Illinois, which improved to 2-14, erupted for 27 points in the third quarter, overwhelming Tennessee Tech with a 20-6 run over a six-minute span. The Panthers’ offense, which had sputtered at times this season, found a rhythm with precise ball movement and aggressive drives, outscoring the Golden Eagles by 12 in the period to take a 60-51 lead into the final frame. The Panthers’ balanced attack proved decisive. While Grimes shined for the visitors, Eastern Illinois countered with five players in double figures, led by Ava Stoller’s 15 points and four assists. Sydney-James Desroches added 14 points and two blocks, Meioshe Mason scored 13, Clara Glad contributed 11 points and five assists, and Lewis, the hero from St. Cloud, Minnesota, provided a critical spark off the bench with 12 points, including the game-winning free throws. Tennessee Tech refused to capitulate. The Golden Eagles mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback, outscoring Eastern Illinois 23-15 behind Grimes and Chloe Larry, who scored 14 points. A 3-pointer by Reagan Hurst, who had 10 points, tied the game at 70 with 1:37 to play. After a 3-pointer by Lewis put Eastern Illinois back up 73-70, Hurst answered again from deep to tie it at 73 with 1:22 remaining. Both teams traded empty possessions in the tense final minute until Larry committed a turnover with 25 seconds left. Eastern Illinois called timeout to set up a final play. The possession nearly ended in disaster when Mason was called for an offensive foul with 43 seconds left, giving the ball back to Tennessee Tech. But on the ensuing inbounds play, Larry was called for a foul on Lewis as she attempted a 3-pointer, sending the reserve guard to the line for two shots. Lewis calmly sank both for the one-point lead. Statistically, the game was a paradox of efficiency and errors. Eastern Illinois shot 54% from the field compared to Tennessee Tech’s 47%, and dominated points in the paint, 48-30. The Panthers also dished out 18 assists and recorded 18 steals. However, Tennessee Tech’s relentless work on the offensive glass, where they grabbed 11 rebounds leading to 16 second-chance points, and their 8-for-17 shooting from 3-point range kept them in contention. Both teams were plagued by turnovers, combining for 39, which led to 40 total points off those miscues. The result was a seismic shift in the OVC landscape. Eastern Illinois, which had lost its last two games by a combined nine points and endured a 14-game losing streak earlier in the season, secured a confidence-building win. Tennessee Tech, which had been projected by the National Statistical ELO system with an 87% chance to win, saw its winning streak snapped at two games and will look to regroup quickly as conference play continues. The Panthers will host Tennessee State on Saturday, while the Golden Eagles travel to face Western Illinois. The two teams are scheduled for a rematch in Cookeville, Tennessee, on Feb. 7.

CHARLESTON, Ill. (Interstat) — A surging Tennessee Tech team visits a struggling Eastern Illinois squad in an Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball matchup Thursday at Lantz Arena. The Golden Eagles (10-2) enter with the league’s best overall record, while the Panthers (1-14) seek their first win since November. The game tips off at 5:30 p.m. EST. Tennessee Tech aims to rebound from its lowest offensive output of the season, a 44-51 loss at Arkansas-Little Rock on Jan. 1. Prior to that, they had won six straight. Guard Reagan Hurst, the team’s consistent scoring threat, leads the effort. She scored 16 points in the loss to Little Rock and is averaging 15.5 points over her last four games. Eastern Illinois is mired in a 10-game losing streak, with several narrow defeats in conference play. They fell 51-58 at Tennessee-Martin on Jan. 3 and 68-70 at Southeast Missouri State on Jan. 1. Forward Meioshe Mason provides a bright spot, coming off a 13-rebound, 4-assist performance against UT Martin. The Panthers’ lone win was a 68-63 victory at Bellarmine on Nov. 29. Defense has been a persistent issue, allowing an average of 71.2 points per game during their skid. Tennessee Tech’s balanced attack, which averages 68.2 points, will test Eastern Illinois. Beyond Hurst, contributors like Cam Mathews and Chloe Larry provide depth. This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the programs. They will meet again in Cookeville, Tennessee, on Feb. 7. Following this game, Tennessee Tech travels to face Western Illinois on Saturday. Eastern Illinois hosts Tennessee State on Saturday.