Eureka Battles but Drops Road Test to Illinois Tech

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Eureka women's basketball team dropped a hard-fought road matchup on Tuesday night, falling 71-58 to Illinois Tech despite all five starters scoring in double figures.

After Illinois Tech scored the opening basket, Eureka responded with a pair of free throws from Courtney Hart (Lancaster, Calif./Yosemite) and a jumper by Allysa Taylor (Tehachapi, Calif./Tehachapi) to take a 4-2 lead. Illinois Tech countered with a 12-0 run, holding the Red Devils scoreless for more than four minutes, to build a 14-4 advantage. Eureka answered back with a strong push of its own, using a 10-2 surge capped by a Miracle Armstrong (Chicago, Ill./Wendell Phillips) 3-pointer to trim the deficit to 16-14. Illinois Tech closed the quarter with four straight points to take a 20-14 lead after one.

The Scarlet Hawks extended their run into the second quarter, scoring the first five points to go up 25-14. Armstrong responded with back-to-back buckets, and a 3-pointer from Railynn Brown (Erlanger, Ky./Lloyd Memorial) pulled Eureka within 28-24. After Illinois Tech stretched the lead to eight, Hart scored the final four points of the half to bring the Red Devils within 34-30 at the break.

Illinois Tech scored the opening bucket in the second half, but Brown quickly answered with another big three to cut the margin to 36-33. The Hawks scored next to push the lead back to five, but Brown delivered again with a deep jumper to keep the deficit at one possession. Illinois Tech then used a 9-2 run to gain separation and carried a 54-42 lead into the fourth quarter.

Armstrong opened the final frame with a 3-pointer and added two free throws to bring the deficit down to seven, but Illinois Tech maintained control the rest of the way, keeping Eureka at arm's length to secure the 71-58 victory.

Armstrong paced the Red Devils with a career-high 16 points, along with five rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block. Hart recorded her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds, adding two assists and two blocks. Brown, Taylor, and Sierra Garcia-Reisch (Las Animas, Colo./La Junta) each contributed 10 points to round out a balanced scoring night, as all five Eureka starters finished in double figures.

UP NEXT

Eureka heads to Indiana next weekend for the Hanover College Tournament, opening play Friday at 5 p.m. against host Hanover.