Eastern Illinois Women's Basketball Falls to Iowa State 77-61

The Eastern Illinois University women’s basketball team pushed Big 12 member Iowa State into a competitive contest on Sunday, trailing by just two points at halftime before the Cyclones pulled away for a 77-61 victory.

According to the official game report from the Eastern Illinois University Athletics department, the Panthers led after the first quarter, demonstrating offensive efficiency that kept the match within reach for much of the afternoon.

This road loss marks the conclusion of a three-game season-opening trip for the Panthers, who now sit at 0-3. The team faces a quick turnaround, with a road game scheduled at Saint Louis on Wednesday at 4 p.m. before finally returning home on Saturday to host Evansville.

Eastern Illinois opened the game with a sharp shooting display, hitting 54.5 percent from the floor in the first quarter to secure a 17-16 lead. Clara Glad paced the effort with five of her eleven total points during this opening frame. Supporting contributions came from Abbie Boutilier, Janyah Bohanon, and Meioshe Mason, who each added four points to the early tally.

Eastern Illinois vs. Iowa State Highlights | 2026-27 Monster Energy Big 12 Women’s Basketball

The Panthers remained within striking distance heading into the locker room, trailing 33-31 at the break. Nevaeh Dickman carried the bulk of the offensive load in the second quarter, providing critical scoring to keep the deficit at a single possession.

Despite a late 3-pointer from Nyah Hardy at the 1:39 mark that gave Eastern Illinois a 31-29 advantage, Iowa State responded with a final push to reclaim the lead before the buzzer.

The game’s momentum shifted decisively early in the second half. Iowa State utilized an 8-2 run to start the third quarter, fueled by six points from Xiao Zhang. This surge pushed the Cyclones’ lead to 41-33 just two and a half minutes into the half.

The margin widened further when Alex-Anne Bessette scored at the 5:40 mark, giving Iowa State its first double-digit lead of the game. By the end of the third period, the Cyclones held a 55-44 advantage.

Women's Basketball | Iowa vs Eastern Illinois

The Panthers attempted to rally in the final frame, with a jumper from Dickman and a three-point play from Bohanon cutting the deficit to 55-49 with 8:23 remaining. However, Iowa State countered immediately with a 5-0 run, effectively stifling the comeback attempt and maintaining a double-digit lead for the remainder of the contest.

While Eastern Illinois ultimately fell, the team finished the game shooting 48.9 percent from the field. Individual performances were highlighted by Dickman, who led the Panthers with 13 points, while Hardy added 10 points off the bench. Boutilier recorded three blocks, six points, and eight rebounds to help the defense.

McKenna Woliczko, Amari Whiting talk win over Eastern Illinois

Player	Key Stats
Nevaeh Dickman	13 Points
Clara Glad	11 Points

For Iowa State, which improved to 3-0 on the season, Tjasa Turnsek led the scoring effort with 20 points. Xiao Zhang also reached double figures, contributing 14 points to the winning effort.

The Panthers now turn their attention to the upcoming matchup against Saint Louis. Whether the team can translate its first-quarter efficiency from the Iowa State game into a full four-quarter performance against the Billikens remains the primary question as they seek their first win of the 2026 season.