Kennedy Dura Sets EC Assist Record as Eureka Falls to Anderson, 70-56

ANDERSON, Ind. – Eureka's Kennedy Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield) became the Red Devils' all-time assists leader at Anderson on Wednesday afternoon, but the Red Devils fell to the Ravens, 70-56.

Dura, a 5-foot-5 guard and four-year starter for the Red Devils, entered the game three dishes shy of previous record holder Molly Hardesty's (2002-06) 415. She proceeded to distribute a team-high four assists to go with seven points and six rebounds, and now stands alone at the top of the list with 417 in 89 games a Red Devil.

The record-setting assist came off on a dish to Ashley Harfst (Saunemin, Ill./Pontiac) for a 3-pointer with 9:01 left in the game.

Harfst finished with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds while putting away 8 of 8 free-throw attempts. Marissa Murphy (Canton, Ill./Canton) contributed 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the floor, and Ja'Keesha Hawkins (Peoria, Ill./Peoria) added 10 and hit a pair of 3-pointers.

However, by and large, the shots weren't falling for the Red Devils on Wednesday. EC shot 26.7 percent (16-for-60) on the day to the home team's 43.5 (27-for-62), and went particularly cold at the wrong times.

After a close first quarter, EC gained an edge with a 7-0 run a few minutes into the second frame. Murphy tied the game at 16-16 with a pair of free throws with 7:28 left. A Dura 3-pointer off an assist by Harfst and a Murphy steal and fastbreak layup later, Anderson was calling timeout to regroup.

A steal by Dura and another fastbreak layup by Murphy stretched the lead to seven, and the Red Devils went into halftime up four at 28-24.

In the third quarter, a couple of trips to the free-throw line for Harfst extended EC's advantage to eight with 8:53 left, but the Ravens responded by putting together a 25-point quarter and taking a six-point lead into the final period.

Anderson then outscored the Red Devils 21-13 in the fourth to seal the win. Hannnah Ault led the Ravens with a 19-point, 9-rebound performance while shooting 8-for-17 from the field. Payton Moore followed with 16 points.

The contest was the Red Devils' (6-4) final regular-season game of 2019. They'll turn around and take on Lincoln (Mo.) in a road exhibition on Thursday at 1 p.m.