CHARLESTON, Ill. (Interstat) — The Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the Eastern Illinois Panthers and secure a 62-46 victory in an Ohio Valley Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Lantz Arena.

A crowd of 733 watched as the Skyhawks improved to 10-8 overall, while the Panthers fell to 3-19.

The most critical phase of the contest came immediately after halftime. Leading by just eight points, Tennessee-Martin erupted for a 21-point third quarter, effectively putting the game out of reach. The Skyhawks’ defense stifled Eastern Illinois, holding the Panthers to just 11 points in the period. This decisive 10-minute stretch transformed a competitive game into a comfortable lead, allowing Tennessee-Martin to manage the final quarter and cruise to the win.

The game began with Tennessee-Martin establishing an early advantage, closing the first quarter with a 15-9 lead. The Skyhawks’ defense was disruptive from the opening tip, with Brittani Wells recording two blocks on Eastern Illinois’s first two shot attempts. The Panthers struggled to find offensive rhythm against Tennessee-Martin’s pressure, a theme that persisted throughout the night.

Eastern Illinois showed resilience in the second quarter, matching the Skyhawks nearly point for point. A driving layup by Clara Glad with 18 seconds left before halftime cut the Tennessee-Martin lead to 27-22, providing the Panthers with a glimmer of momentum heading into the break.

That momentum was swiftly extinguished in the third quarter. Tennessee-Martin opened the second half with increased defensive intensity and more efficient offensive execution. The Skyhawks began the quarter on a 7-2 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Wells, to push their lead back to double digits. They continued to build on it throughout the period, with Kenley McCarn and Sidni Middleton hitting key shots. By the time the quarter ended with the Skyhawks ahead 48-33, the outcome was largely decided.

Brittani Wells led all scorers with 16 points for Tennessee-Martin, adding two blocks. Kenley McCarn contributed 15 points, and Camden Ward came off the bench to provide a significant spark with 12 points, all of which came in the first half to help establish the early lead. Norah Clark directed the offense effectively, dishing out a game-high seven assists.

For Eastern Illinois, Clara Glad finished with 14 points. Tiny Lewis added 10 points, and Ava Stoller facilitated the offense with three assists, but the Panthers were hampered by 18 turnovers and inefficient shooting.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Tennessee-Martin, which also defeated Eastern Illinois 58-51 on Jan. 3. The Skyhawks have now won three of their last four conference games.

Tennessee-Martin travels to face Western Illinois on Saturday. Eastern Illinois will host Southeast Missouri State, also on Saturday.

The game’s projected win probability, according to Interstat’s ELO system, favored Tennessee-Martin by 52.20 percent.