EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Ajulu Thatha recorded her second double-double of the season, but SIUE women's basketball couldn't overcome a strong shooting effort from Eastern Illinois in a 77-65 loss Monday at First Community Arena.

Thatha tied Kelsie Williams for SIUE honors in scoring with 14 points. Thatha pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds while adding three assists and two blocks.

SIUE dropped to 4-5 overall and 1-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Eastern Illinois is now 4-7 overall and 2-4 in the OVC.

Eastern Illinois used a pair of back-to-back three-pointers in the final 45 seconds of the first period to take a seven-point lead at 16-9. That seven-point lead extended to halftime at 30-23, but the Panthers pushed the lead into double digits during the third period.

"Offensively, we couldn't get into a flow," said SIUE Head Coach Paula Buscher.

EIU shot 53.8 percent from the field (28-52) and 50 percent from three-point range (11-22).

"We didn't have great rotations, and they knocked down shots," credited Buscher.

SIUE's Mikayla Kinnard picked up her second double-digit effort of the season with 11 points.

EIU's Karle Pace led all scorers with 20 points, including four three-pointers. Morgan Litwiller was one-point shy of her career high with 17 that included a team-leading five three-pointers.

"I like this group and their work ethic," Buscher said of the Cougars. "We just weren't working collectively that we needed to get the win."