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PHOENIX – Eastern Illinois opened the fourth quarter with a 10-2 run on Friday but the Panthers could not overcome a sluggish third quarter as they dropped the opening game of the Grand Canyon Classic presented by Talking Stick Resort. 

The Panthers fell to Nicholls, 63-55, falling to 1-3 on the season.  Nicholls improved to 4-2 with the win.

EIU led 20-19 after the opening quarter with early production from Ellie Buzzelle who knocked down a pair of 3-pointers as the team knocked down 4-of-9 from 3-point range in the opening quarter.  Buzzelle finished with 13 points, one of three Panthers in double figures.

EIU would make just 3-of-16 from long range the remainder of the game including 1-for-12 in the second and third quarters falling behind 39-33 at that half and 52-39 after three quarters of action.

The Panthers opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run with Buzzelle’s third 3-pointer of the day closing the lead to five points at 52-47 with 8:00 minutes left to play.   After the Colonels snapped the run with a basket by Kyla Hamilton, EIU again trimmed the margin to five on a lay-up by Miah Monahan with 6:49 left in the game.

Nicholls had an answer for Monahan’s lay-up and for the other two times EIU trimmed the lead to five points in the final 4:02 of regulation.   The last time EIU got to within five was on a Buzzelle jumper with 1:32 left in the game.

Macy McGlone led EIU with 14 points and nine rebounds.  Lalani Ellis added 11.

Hamilton had 11 points for the Colonels with Lexi Alexander leading all scorers with 17 points.