CHARLESTON, Ill. – SIUE women's basketball opened Ohio Valley Conference play with a 59-52 win after going into a double-overtime victory against Eastern Illinois.
 
The win marked SIUE's first double-overtime game since the 2006-07 season, when the Cougars defeated Southern Indiana 81-75.
 
SIUE improved to 8-3 overall and 1-1 in OVC play, while the Panthers fell to 1-11 and 0-1 in conference play.  
 
Lauren Miller knocked down a three-pointer with 8:19 remaining in the first quarter to give SIUE its first lead of the game. The Cougars maintained the advantage until the Panthers tied the score at 18-18 with 3:21 left before halftime.
 
The contest featured seventies, with SIUE holding the lead four times.
 
Miller scored four points in the first overtime to keep SIUE in front, but EIU tied the game at 50-50 to force a second overtime. Kiyoko Proctor sealed the win by making four free throws in the second overtime.
 
Proctor and Miller led the team with 17 points apiece. Proctor finished 4-10 from the field and a perfect 7-7 from the line, adding four rebounds and one block. Miller went 6-19 from the field and 2-3 from three-point range.
 
Macy Silvey added 11 points, going 3-6 from beyond the arc, and grabbed six rebounds. Syanne Mohamed grabbed 10 rebounds, recording her second game of the season with 10 or more in a game.
 
As a team the Cougars shot 34.5 percent (19-55) from the field, 38.9 percent (7-18) from three-point range and 73.7 percent (14-19) from the line.
 
Up next, SIUE takes on Western Illinois, Dec. 22 at 11 am.