Red Devils Cruise Past RMU-Springfield, 93-54
EUREKA – Kennedy Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) scored 16 points to lead a group of five Eureka scorers in double figures and Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.) logged 10 points and 13 rebounds for her second double-double in as many nights to lift the Red Devils to a 93-54 non-league victory over USCAA Robert Morris-Springfield, Thursday night at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center. The win was EC's first of the 2018-19 season.
Eureka shot 51 percent as a team and never trailed after opening the contest with eight consecutive points. Dura was 7-for-12 from the field. Josie Morgan (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S.) scored a career-high 14 points to go along with a team-best three steals. Ashley Harfst (Saunemin, Ill./Pontiac H.S.) scored 12 points on the strength of a 6-for-6 effort at the free throw line and Samantha Sarnes (Havana, Ill./Havana H.S.) chipped in with 12 points off the bench.
Dooley finished with 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The Red Devils crushed the visitors on the glass, 54-36. Olivia Falls (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington H.S.) dished a game-high seven assists and didn't commit a turnover in 22 minutes of action.
Harfst opened the scoring with a pair of free throws just four seconds into the game and the Red Devils were off to the races. RMU battled within a point when E'Lexus Murrell hit a 3 for the visitors to trail 13-12 at the 2:58 mark of the first quarter. Eureka responded by ending the frame on a 9-2 run to lead 22-14 at the end of the period.
The Red Devils slowly extended their lead through the second quarter, moving in front by double digits on Harfst's free throws in the final three minutes and taking a 42-28 advantage at the break. EC needed only 66 seconds of the third quarter to stretch the lead to 20 and the cushion swelled to 75-48 after 30 minutes. The Red Devils scored 33 points in the third quarter.
The EC defense shined the final period, limiting the Eagles to just six points and forcing seven RMU turnovers. The Red Devils took their largest lead of the night in the closing seconds when Abby Swope (Canton, Ill./Canton H.S.) scored on a putback to set the final margin.
Eureka will remain home Saturday for a 2 p.m. non-conference tip-off versus Rockford.